By Hipolito Munoz, Managing Editor/Publisher
“Spolight,” the new film that dramatizes the Catholic Church’s cover up of child abuse by priests in Boston as a systemic problem, hits a little close to home for me. I attended Queen of Angels High School Seminary and they were special formative years for me. To me those years still have a very special place in my heart, especially because the adults, priests and secular folks that taught us, fed us and counseled us were so caring and careful with our development as young men and as possible candidates to be priests. The seminary closed in 1995 and I believe, I am considered alumni of another school, as all evidence of the Seminary seems to be disappearing.
I was very interested to see how the church would be portrayed with a small expectation that the journalists would be portrayed as heroic figures out to save the world from the evils of the institution. Well, I was partially right and it’s a film that should be seen because the danger an institution like the church is very real, and we do need both insiders and outsiders to be constantly vigilant in order to preserve the great works that can be done in the name of faith.
“Spotlight,” is a necessary film, regardless of your religious spectrum. It will help folks understand what could happen and did happen and may still be happening. It will help put on check those folks that may be falling into the rabbit hole of secrecy through dismissive or fearful attitudes. The story focuses on who knew and who let it happened. The predatory priests are never given a chance to try and explain their side, because there is no explanation that would or should be allowed. The film is well done and that is a bonus because it’s a must see film because it’s a must see story.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/specials/clergyhttp://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/specials/clergy
