God and the Girl

Reality TV show "God or the Girl"  about four young men with a calling to the priesthood who must decide whether to enter the seminary or serve God as laypeople.  

Greetings Family-
I was contacted two weeks ago and asked to assist  in marketing a reality-TV 
series coming to A&E, premiering on Easter Sunday  (in little over one week).  
It was presented to me as the real drama of  four young men navigating 
through the decision of marriage or priestly  life.   Naturally suspicious of 
another presumptive attempt to unpack  Catholicism by a major secular media 
provider, enhanced even more by the title  "God or the Girl" -- I held out hope and 
asked them to
forwarded the  episodes.

Here I am after many hours of reviewing the series. speechless,  overwhelmed, 
moved to humility, praise and frequently even tears for what God  has done 
and is going to do with this series.  You all know my appreciation  for media, 
both secular and religious.  You know that as a devout and  passionate Catholic 
and former seminarian, as one who knows the beauty of  married love, as one 
who has seen the best and worst of the "Catholic  institution"-that my antennae 
is up pretty high
for poor programming.   Without question, just past the title is the most 
powerful television  programming I have ever been privileged to experience.  If 
there has never  been a place in the lives of scrupulous, devout Christians for 
popular  television programming, for "reality television," this series opens 
the  door.   

This is what I write in the primer:

These young  men are the real deal. They share an unmistakable love for God 
and their  Catholic faith.  They're well balanced and share the general 
experience of  their culture.  One of them leaves behind a high-paying job and 
attends a  tail-gate party to share with frat buddies his interest in priestly life. 
Instead of the awkward culture clash one might expect, we're given witness 
of  how the faithful can authentically engage culture.  Another young man has a 
beautiful
relationship with his girlfriend.  They are an attractive  couple who 
represent the dreams of young, middle America. Yet they profess  chastity, and agree 
to put God first when it comes to vocation.  The  counter-cultural message is 
unmistakable: attraction to the opposite sex alone  is not a determinant of 
one's vocation.  Another young man
is clearly  the attractive, All American kid whom everyone likes.   He  
acknowledges past sexual immorality, but evidences a contagious joy of living  for 
Jesus Christ in the present.  Vocation is clearly for the now.   We're taken 
to his house, called "Fort Zion," where he and housemates  enthusiastically 
lead a youth group.  In a particularly moving scene we see  them kneeling 
together before an abortion clinic and praying the rosary.   Hardly the "on the 
fringes" zealot one might
expect, one connects with him as  a modern day Paul. His witness validates 
the beauty of living for God.   

I was pleasantly surprised t o see Fr. Brian Bashista in the first  episode-a 
mentor of one of the young men.  Fr. Brian is a former  fellow-seminarian 
(Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg,Maryland), and now director of  Vocations for 
Arlington.  He was involved with my establish ing Mount 2000  in 1995.  I 
contacted him and he had nothing but great things to say about  the production 
itself, and the experience.  He was one of a handful  permitted to view the final 
episode.  He writes:

As a participant in  the A&E TV mini-series `God or the Girl' I had the 
privilege of seeing all  five shows several weeks ago.  Immediately after the 
viewing I commented to  the producers that, from my perspective as a Vocation 
Director, they did an  incredible job of capturing the reality of vocation 
discernment with all of its  twists and turns, ups and downs, highlights and 
lowlights. 

Contrary to  popular opinion, this series will no doubt reveal to its viewers 
what many in  the Church have already know for years, namely, that numerous 
outgoing, affable,  balanced,  intelligent and attractive young men are 
seriously considering a  call to serve Christ and His Church as a future Roman 
Catholic priest.   Many of these men are, or are well on their way to become, 
`highly successful'  in the `eyes of the world'.but are willing to give up 
everything for a life  which
points to a reality `beyond this world'.   Despite what their  friends, 
family, classmates or co-workers might think, they are willing to  seriously 
explore this `road less traveled'.  Despite their mixed motives  and normative 
questions, fears and doubts, they are to be admired for their  courage and faithful 
witness to take note of Lord's invitation to "Come follow  Me".

Here's what Harry Forbes,  of the USCCB, has to say:http://www.catholic.org/ae/movies/review.php?id=19242
With a potential reach to over 88 million  homes, this is going to impact 
individual lives and our culture. It's going to  be the kind of program that many 
young men and women are going to speak of years  down the road-as the 
beginning of their conversion to Jesus Christ, for getting  on the path to 
sacramental marriage or priesthood.   I'm asking you to  be an instrument of this effort 
by simply passing this along.   Please  help me in getting the Word out 
(please delete any
headers so your forward is  clean).  This is absolutely a triumph for the 
authenticity of Jesus Christ  alive and present in the Catholic Church, revealed 
in the most engaging way- the  lives of "ordinary-yet-extraordinary" young 
men. 

The showings as  revealed at the site, www.GodortheGirl.com: 
Easter Sunday, April 16, 9-11  p.m. - Episodes 1 and 2
Easter Monday, April 17, 9-11 p.m. - Episodes 3 and  4
Sunday, April 23, 9-10:00 p.m. -- FINALE