Dear Parishioners,
A well-done work of art has the
ability to provoke thought, to inspire, to elevate the mind and the heart, to
stimulate the emotions, and to bring out the best in humanity. This is true whether it is a painting, a song
or musical composition, a play, a sculpture, a novel or poem, an architectural
wonder or a movie. There is definite value
to good art.
Last night I went with another
priest and his dad to see “American Sniper” at the movies.
I don’t pretend to be a film critic, but I can tell you that I thought
the film was done superbly. Five
Stars. It definitely made me think and
question. It pulled at the heartstrings. It made me realize what soldiers sacrifice to
defend our nation and its values. It detailed
the tragedy of war. It showed us that
evil definitely exists in our world. It
made me proud to be an American. At the
end, I witnessed everyone in the theater remaining seated for a few moments speechless in an eerie, deafening
silence. I have seldom experienced this
reaction by an entire group of people in a packed theater.
What follows is a synopsis (by Jeremy Wheeler) of the film by director Clint Eastwood. It is a:
Biopic of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), the most-celebrated
sniper in American military history. In the aftermath of 9/11, Kyle decides to
serve his country by becoming a Navy SEAL. But with each tour of duty, he grows
more detached from his wife and children.
As the story opens, we meet carefree brothers Chris and Jeff
(Keir O'Donnell) as they work the Texas rodeo circuit. They're cowboys through
and through, and despite being notably older than the usual enlistee, Chris
pays a visit to his local recruitment office and decides to become a Navy SEAL.
Later, at the firing range, he draws on his hunting lessons with his stern
father to become an expert marksman. A booze-fueled barroom chat with pretty
brunette Taya (Sienna Miller) soon leads to wedding bells, and following the
terrorist attacks of 9/11, Kyle is deployed to Iraq for his first tour of duty.
There, his reputation as a sniper who never misses makes him a legend among his
fellow troops, and earns him the moniker "The Devil of Ramadi" from
his enemies.
With a substantial bounty on his head, Kyle makes it his
personal mission to take out a sadistic Iraqi soldier known as "The
Butcher," as well as an elusive enemy marksman with a skill to rival his
own. The closer he gets to achieving his goals during repeat tours of duty,
however, the more fellow soldiers he sees die, and the further he drifts from
Taya and their two children back home. It all leads up to a tense rooftop
gunfight in a raging sandstorm -- one that convinces the sniper once and for
all to make his family his top priority. Unfortunately, all is not well as Kyle
struggles to make the transition back to civilian life, but he discovers that
helping his fellow veterans is an effective way to do good and make peace with
his wartime experiences.
If you decide to see the film, I
caution that it is not for children or for the faint of heart. War and killing
is a very difficult topic to digest, even in our much desensitized world. We are reminded how every time, place and
generation seems to encounter evil as it rears its head over and over and over again.
Personally, I thank God for the
brave men and women who defend and protect our nation and who allow us to sleep
safely each night. May we never forget
them or the difficult lives that they inevitably face when they choose to serve
in our military throughout our troubled world.
May our prayers always be with you!
May our prayers always be with you!
Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor
Chris Kyle
