We have a couple of friends who have ditched the TV from their homes…no, this is NOT a typo. They had consciously decided to get rid of the TV, well mainly cable and some the actual sets, from their lovely homes. In 2010, this is hard to believe! Personally, I’d love to do it if only I could get DH to agree with me 100% on this, lol! He’s about 75% of the way there…still working on him about it. Why would I want this for my home? Several reasons:

1. TV/Cable is a distraction for real wholesome family time.
2. It is a venue for the wrong kind of messages to my children (EVEN THE CARTOONS)!
3. It is addictive and keeps you from focusing on the things that matter most.

I’ve had days were we don’t turn the set on all days…the silence is lovely! Now, my friends who have opted for this lifestyle do watch movies. Some very limited kind, of course and no, they aren’t weird or dress or look weird, lol! They are very “normal” Catholics who are trying to keep the focus on their faith – that’s all.

The past week, one friend recommended a movie entitled The Robe…she saw it with her nine-year-old and they both loved it! It is from a very different perspective about the life and ministry and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the view and words of the Roman Soldier who cast lots to win Jesus’s robe. I really want to see it with my 12 year old! I think it would be a fantastic film to watch during Lent as well!

Last night I asked another friend to make a list of these kinds of movies so that I could share with other moms; and for my family as well of course. These are older Catholic movies that you could watch with your kids. Here is the list that my friend Dan compiled for me, he entitled it “The Best Catholic themed films that I have seen” [he has made specific comments]:

1. “The Last Hurrah” starring Spencer Tracy
2. “The Fighting Sullivans” starring Thomas Mitchell and Anne Baxter.
3. “I Confess” starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter.
4. “San Francisco” with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy.
5. “The Reluctant Saint” with Maximilian Schell. [overtly Catholic]
6. “Ben Hur” The Charlton Heston version.
7. “The Quiet Man” starring John Wayne and Maureen O’hara.
8. “Come to the Stable” with Loretta Young and Celeste Holm. [overtly Catholic]
9. “The Miracle of Marcellino” 1950’s version [overtly Catholic]
10. “The Long Gray Line” with Tyrone Power and Maureen O’hara [excellent film, somewhat Catholic]
11. “The Fugitive” 1948, with Henry Fonda and Dolores del Rio [overtly Catholic but hard to find]

If you have other films you’d like to add to this list or if you have already seen any of these and you’d like to tell us about them, please feel free to leave a comment. Also, when I taught at a Catholic school in Florida, I always went to this website: http://usccb.org/movies/ to see what the Catholic US Bishops had to say about current films and TV shows. Of course, for newer films you can also visit: http://www.lukefilms.com/