What is a J2A movie night and what kind of movies do we watch together? Last night, eight of us (6 youth and two leaders) curled up on the couches in the J2A room with popcorn and sodas and watched Saint Ralph, the 2005 release about a fourteen year old boy and his attempts to create a miracle that will save his Mom from the ravages of cancer. The film is just the kind we like to choose for J2A: Frame after frame, it packed a punch with an intriguing and entertaining story laced with the real challenges of living a meaningful and fruitful life.
The challenges for Ralph are many: The film is set at a Catholic school in Hamilton, Canada in 1954 where the school's autocratic leader has small appreciation for Ralph's repeated violations of Catholic piety and school rules. Ralph is wily and resourceful to be sure. He lives alone in the family house while pretending that he lives with his grandparents. His sole living relative, his mom, is hospitalized and enters a deep coma. When he learns about miracles, he feels that he has found a way to save his mom. He sets out to win the Boston Marathon and with the help of faith, extraordinary perseverance and the help of his priest-teacher, he almost does. Ralph's efforts are healing for the entire community. A dried up faith becomes living.
Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh6KlOW1J8Q&feature=related
We went around the room afterwards to reveal and discuss our favorite parts.
Chris
