It has been a little while since I’ve updated, and probably would have been longer, but I cannot fight the urge to express my opinion on how the Catholic Church was portrayed in the latest episode of “V.”
Whenever the Church, or any religion is portrayed in the media, be it novelization or film, I feel like the interpretation should be taken with a grain of salt. This is coming from the view of the author(s), so is obviously not objective, which it is hard to be with religion. And, while I am a practicing Catholic and feel strong in my faith, I can still laugh at jokes, and take criticism, however I feel these jokes and criticisms lose value if they are filled with misunderstanding and prejudice. Some of my favorite conversations with friends have been about our respective religions, trying to understand each other and our points of view.
That said, V has been one of my favorite shows this season and part of that has been its depiction of the Church, specifically one priest (a main character, Father Jack) fighting for his faith. He joins the V(aliens) resistance group, originally on accident, but part of what drives him, and this I really enjoyed, was that while his faith was initially shaken, it was re-strengthened again when he saw his parishoners multiply in numbers, then shake again when he realizes the parishoners, as well as the world as a whole, begin to put the V’s and their queen, Anna, on a god-like pedestal. This then becomes his driving force in fighting the V’s, to regain his people’s faith in the Lord.
This hasn’t changed and, in fact, was part of a very moving homily he gave in the final episode. What I did not like came from Father Travis, the senior priest of the parish and their confrontation just before the homily. From the beginning Father Travis embraced the V’s (I have a sneaking suspicion he is one), and refuses to speak ill of them as they are the reason so many people have come back to the Church.
To be clear, I liked this distinction between the two characters, both who are delighted at the increase of parishoners but one who does not care why they are there and one who wants to be sure they are there for the right reason. There sort discussions have been very interesting and well played out. All except this last interaction. I was very into the discussion, the fight for faith. So many things being brought up in this argument, steming from the major theme, faith. Free speech was threatened, friendship, loyalty. In my mind, however, they left out one crucial argument. Father Travis flat out tells Father Jack, and I paraphrase as I don’t know this verbatim: “If you preach against the V’s, you are no longer is welcome in MY church.” Father Jack replies trying to make him understand the V’s are not to be worshipped like gods, and the dangers that that kind of worship would bring to the church. Father Travis puts his foot down, repeats his threat and leaves.
I loved this, but I wanted more. I wanted Father Jack to respond that it was not Father Travis’ Church, it is God’s Church. That, in fact, is the Catholic belief. These buildings belong to God, all are welcome. Go to a mass, there are songs about it. One comes to mind where we repeat “all are welcome in this place” many, many times. While Father Travis still would have still outcast-ed Father Jack from that specific building, Father Jack could have reaffirmed his faith, won the argument, and made the points the writers were going for all in one statement. But it was never said. Even after Father Jack preaches his anti-V, pro-God homily and leaves the church building, I wanted him to say “This is not YOUR Church, but GOD’S Church” to Father Travis so badly. Instead, he just walks out, stronger in his own faith but having lost his congregation.
Yes, there are priests and preachers out there who are like Father Travis, but there are so many like Father Jack, who struggle with their faith daily, and in that struggle come closer to God and become better teachers for their congregations. I felt the writers missed something huge when they didn’t have Father Jack stand up for God to Father Travis. It almost felt as if they were using Father Jack as a priest because it allows them some situation-making tools (i.e. confession) but are steering very clear of fully showing the Church in a positive light, but never really glossing over the negative. To be honest, they could have done both. I will be the first to admit that there has been some bad press on the Church lately. Some of our less proud moments. But there has been good too, you just never see that written in the papers. Granted, you never see much in the way of positivity written in the papers. But this show had a chance to say “Hey look, here’s the bad, but here’s the good.” I just feel they felt short of the “here’s the good” as well as skimping out on the story.
As a Catholic I am sorry they didn’t go further. As a filmmaker I’m pissed they skimped out on some great story telling.
That’s about it. Next post will hopefully be lighter 
