by Charles Coyle

Conscience makes cowards of us all

The arts have always helped us to make sense of the things going on around us.  I am of the generation that grew up in the era of the blockbuster studio movies, and film is certainly the art form that has influenced me more than any other.  Well-made films not only entertain but can also move us and educate us.  They can give us real insight into particular moments in history or challenge us by forcing us to confront some difficult choices characters have to make.   There are many, many examples of films which have had a moral theme, often featuring the story of courageous, faithful people.  I am sure you have your particular favourites, films like ‘The Mission’ (1986), directed by Roland Joffé, about Jesuit priests and their work in South America, or ‘Silence’ (2016) directed by Martin Scorsese about the work of Jesuits priests in their attempt to evangelise Japan, or the Mel Gibson directed film, ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ (2016) about conscientious objection during the Second World War.  These films and many more like them help us to make sense of the moral choices we must make when faced with decisions and dilemmas.

Fr Charles Coyle is the Co-ordinator of Spiritual & Pastoral Formation & Lecturer in Teacher Education for the St Andrews Foundation for Catholic Teacher Formation at the University of Glasgow.