I saw the
film "Spotlight" which is, as most likely know, a film about the
Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team’s exposé of systemic pedophile sexual abuse of
children by priests in the Catholic Church in Boston and the Church’s cover-up
complicity of it. Viewing it took
courage as, quite frankly, some things despite the worldly horrors we are privy
to each day, are so noxious, hypocritical and sickening that it takes fortitude
to view the stories about it in detail.
The film
itself starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams was expertly
crafted and the acting was without flaw. Happily, it did not reenact the many sickening
crimes. Through a few adults re-telling
their horrific experiences one could, I thought, cope with the retelling of
their trauma. It was a seamless and
truth-telling reenactment of the "Spotlight" team's investigation of
the Catholic Church's most impactful and nearly self-immolative destruction not
only in Boston but ultimately all over the nation and even the world. The Globe's exposé was an earthquake
indictment of an institution many thought sat next to God himself.
Sadly, most
institutions whether the Church or money-driven power-crazed government will
sell their soul for a price and the Church paid a heavy price for doing just
that transferring pedophile priests from parish to parish and
"treatment" centers to "treatment" centers without a whisper
to the authorities of the priestly crime of sexual abuse of minors lest it cast
aspersions on a sacrosanct institution.
The church remained in silent cover-up of itself despite its rape of so
many young souls.
I viewed it
because I thought it important to do so much as I think it important to view
the history of the Holocaust though it is difficult to do. We view these things
so that light can be shown on silent darkness and so others may never know such
crushing experiences again. "Spotlight" is spotless in its focus and
makes crystal clear why a free press matters. Without the exposure of these
indelible crimes by the press they might never have seen the light of truthful day
and nothing would ever change from one generation to the next.
