I have seen the following real vocation’s poster posted on several Catholic blogs.
I think it goes well with one I previously did.
Steve Kellmeyer previously wrote an excellent article in Envoy Magazine about all the Gnostic influences in the movie.
Vocation Poster
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Does anyone know, yet, how to get a copy of that Matrix poster? My son wants one!
The Diocese of Lansing has a similar poster based on the movie The Gladiator. Very cool.
This is a joke, right??? I mean, it looks like a joke… Would this attract men to the Priesthood if they thought they’d end up in a bad movie (the sequels) or be like Keanu Reaves???
I want my Mummy!!!
Yes it’s a cool looking poster. Do I think it’s going to attract young men to the priesthood? I think it’s going to miss it’s mark.
I don’t like the Virgin Mary being posted in that way, that is not right at all, her image must not be corrupted with wordly influence. somethings, are really made by God to look the way it is, in an important reason!
For heaven’s sake, if it does attract men to the priesthood, it’ll attract the kind we want: normal guys with a sense of humor who can relate to people.
(Furthermore, I dispute the so-called “excellence” of the Envoy article, as I would assert “The Matrix” is no more gnostic than everything else in pop culture is nowadays, and the invented references seem to be massively pushing it.)
It IS a very cool poster, and I would buy one if it were available where I live.
I’ve read in another blog that this ad is very popular among Catholic youth, something I don’t have any trouble believing. Like Lauren above said, I think it would attract the right men to the priesthood: guys with a sense of humor and able to relate with the people.
In any case, I think the poster is a great analogy… kids want heroes, and the poster portrays a priest as a hero they can relate to.
VJ, “corrupted by worldly influence,” how does the fact of the Incarnation (i.e., God coming into THIS world) not offend you?
Sadly the poster has been withdrawn by the diocese. I don’t think they are printing anymore. If you get one now it will be one that was printed before they were withdrawn. This came from my diocese and I don’t like it at all, but I guess the kids in the diocese love it.
Lauren,
Do you really want your child to see the priest as a hero? I think that sends entirely the wrong message. In fact I blogged about it because this poster came from my diocese.
I want priest as servant to be the message not priest as superhero. I would much rather the boys considering the priesthood look at my pastor who has a total servants heart than look at this guy in the shades as an archtype.
but that’s just me.
I know the posters were very popular with the high school kids.
A priest must be a servant and a hero…today’s advertising will never be able to present all dimensions of a subject simultaneously. I actually prefer presenting the priesthood as a sort of holy warrior class. The old-school chausables look like armor.
I think (for an atheist) that the poster is great! And actually it takes away the taboo that a priest should look old and grey. I�d like one just because it is nice to look at.
I heard of it in a Canadian newspaper.
Yup, it’s for real — and the USCCB is sending 5000 posters to WYD! Gotta love one of its captions: “This faith has not been modified from its original version. Yet, it is formatted to fit your life.”
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f55cf837-3eaf-44f5-a8ee-81ff33c023ea
The Jesuit One!
I’m really behind the curve on this, but I’ve seen this poster on a fewa different blogs now and the whole discussion regarding it has deeply intrigued me. So I sent the poster to several friends of mine, all of them non-Catholic and seve…
To get a copy of the Matrix poster, call Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church in Greenwood, Indiana 317-888-2851.
Very nice site!
Exodus 13:15(KJV) “I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.”
Exodus 34:19 “All that openeth the matrix is mine”.
Numbers 18:15 “Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine”.
How bout we mesh the two ideals and say that a man who is a servant is a real hero?
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