About Ross Lonergan
Born and raised Catholic, and already a refugee from the seminary at age 13, Ross left the Church in his late teens, returning at the age of 55 with half a lifetime of experiences, attitudes, and beliefs as well as a sexual orientation that did not quite jive with the “teachings of the Church.” The journey back to Catholicism has become a full-time enterprise involving a rather monastic existence of reading books and articles on a wide range of Catholic topics, writing the (unproduced) pilot for a TV series about a Catholic parish, and as of December 2009, blogging on faith, the priesthood, and other “issues Catholic.” In his study, writing, and prayer Ross seeks a balance between being who he really is and finding a place in a Church and parish community that he deeply loves.
Ross has a Master’s degree in contemporary Chinese literature from UBC. He worked for many years in international education (including teaching ESL), taught in the Pacific Rim Program at Langara College, and has lived and traveled extensively in East Asia.
Ross blogs at Confessions of a Liturgy Queen (http://confessionsqueen.blogspot.com)
“It’s like watching the Aurora Borealis”: A Profile of Meryl Streep
Throughout her career, Meryl Streep has found a way to fully inhabit every character she portrays so that who we see in the film is not Streep but the “quirky little universe” she has created.
“Doubt” is about Doubt
After seeing Shanley’s play, many people wanted him to reveal whether Father Flynn was guilty of what Sister Aloysius was accusing him. Audience members would come out at the end of the performance with wildly opposing opinions, like “Well, he is obviously guilty” or “Come on, there is no way he is guilty. The nun is just jealous of his power.” While he knew the answer to the question, Shanley only ever told the actors playing Father Flynn whether or not their character was guilty.
Opting out of Conflict to Follow the New Commandment
Did Jesus fight? Of course he did. Did he criticize? Without question. In fact, he directed his anger and his scorn at the very behaviour that so characterizes religious life today. But the purpose of his ministry was not to condemn the thinking or the behaviour or the character of those with whom he disagreed; Jesus did not devote his energy to preserving a tradition of orthodoxy or promoting a cause in which his ego was deeply invested. His mission was much simpler but at the same time far more challenging; it was embodied in the new commandment he issued to his apostles: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Abbey Retreat
Westminster Abbey, a Benedictine monastery and Catholic seminary in Mission B.C., had been on mind for some months before I contacted the Guestmaster and made arrangements for a three-day retreat at the end of February. I am writing a novel that is … Read more →
A Brave First for Hollywood and Hanks: A Review of “Philadelphia”
A few weeks ago I wrote about two groundbreaking 1967 films starring Sidney Poitier in which Poitier portrays a black man who insists upon sharing equal ground with the white people who inhabit his world. In that review I said that while I did not … Read more →
Lumet’s Soufflé: A Review of “Murder on the Orient Express”
Two weeks ago I reviewed Sidney Lumet’s first feature film 12 Angry Men, a dramatic tour de force characterized by outstanding ensemble acting. Lumet went on to direct many more excellent films, including The Pawnbroker, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, … Read more →
Intriguing Murder Mystery, Brilliant Character Study: A Review of “12 Angry Men”
This 1957 black-and-white gem, director Sidney Lumet’s cinematic debut (he had worked for some years in television), has lost none of its riveting intensity in the half century since it first appeared on screen. The movie features, along with Henry … Read more →
“This Language-Soaked Life” Part Four
From 1975-77 Maybin, still a “non-professional,” taught English as a volunteer for the Immigrant Services Society (ISS) in Vancouver. His students were South Asian women, many of whom had recently arrived and were illiterate, terrified, and … Read more →
Three Icons of American Cinema in 1967
Two seminal American films were released in 1967; each dealt with the issue of racism and each featured one of the biggest stars in Hollywood at the time. Both were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture; one of them won the award. The … Read more →
“This Language-Soaked Life” Part Three
Following an unrewarding series of “language” lessons with a Japanese university professor, who, while collecting a fee from the student, spent most of the lesson time talking about “the intricacies of Shakespeare’s plots in English (his … Read more →
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