www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs

Shlomo Lkhoolkhoon,

Here is a news item that I would like to see what others think.

Fush BaShlomo Lkhoolkhoon,
Yuhannon

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs [catholic.org]

TOKYO (Zenit) - An Academy Award-winning director is planning a movie on Japanese Christians martyred in the 17th century.

Martin Scorsese will film the movie in New Zealand and release it in 2010, according to the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun. Names of actors linked to the project include Daniel Day-Lewis, Gael García Bernal and Benicio Del Toro.

Scorsese is known for his work on films including "The Age of Innocence," "The Departed," "Gangs of New York," "Casino" and the controversial "The Last Temptation of Christ."

The film on the Japanese martyrs is based on the book "Chinmoku" (Silence), by the Catholic Japanese author Shusaku Endo. The novel tells the story of a Portuguese missionary in Japan at the beginnings of the 17th century. "Silence" refers to the silence of God before the cross of Christ, in telling of the missionary's forced apostasy in the midst of horrendous torture.

Endo (1923-1997) was baptized at age 12. His novels reflect his effort to show Christianity reconciled with Oriental culture, as well as his vision of human weakness, sin and grace. Among his other writings are "A Life of Jesus" and "Deep River," in which he tries to present Christianity to the Asian mentality.

Last Dec. 10, almost 200 Japanese martyrs from the same era as the plot of "Silence" were canonized. Japan is today less than 1% Christian, of which only about 450,000 are Catholics.

Such a movie, if well done, should be fascinating and edifying. A fitting final scene would be what happened when in the mid-nineteenth century Japan was finally required to accept diplomatic legations in Tokyo from the European powers. A priest who was chaplain to one of these embassies was strolling through Tokyo, just sight-seeing in the city. He was wearing a cassock (which may make the point that wearing a cassock has its value) when a young man whom he did not know approached him in the street and asked if by any chance he was a Catholic priest. On learning that the visitor was indeed a Catholic priest, the young man asked where and when Mass could be, and if he would be allowed to attend.

The next morning, the chapel was overflowing with Japanese! The priest assured them that they were perfectly welcome, but who were they and what had moved them to come to Mass? Someone who was leading them answered "We are descendants of the Catholics of Saint Francis Xavier, and not even the grandfather of our oldest man has ever been able to attend Mass before. We are all anxious to come to Confession, receive Holy Communion, and ask the Father to offer the prayers and blessings for our several generations of dead who were buried without any Priest."

The Priest was stunned, but managed to rise to the occasion, provide the Sacraments (no one, of course, had ever been confirmed) and report the whole thing to Rome.

Glory to God for all things!

Fr. Serge