More Scenes from a Parish:
Catching up With Father Paul O'Brien
In 2001, an irreverent, young, Harvard-educated Catholic priest arrived at Saint Patrick Parish in the economically depressed former mill town of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Father Paul O’Brien soon discovered that trying to foster an inclusive community amidst the ethnic tensions of this working-class, multicultural parish would be no easy task. Filmed over four years, Scenes from a Parish explores the personal stories a Catholic parish struggling to reconcile the ideals of faith with today's cultural realities in United States.
In collaboration with Scenes from a Parish filmmaker James Rutenbeck, RENEW International created the companion Film Faith-Sharing Guide, available in both English and Spanish, connecting what is seen on screen with Scripture passages, reflections, and sharing questions. Each of the four sessions concludes with suggestions for social action based on the sharing.
The January-February 2012 issue of Harvard Magazine features an article and video chronicling Father O'Brien's unwavering commitment to the parish and the tremendous impact he has made.
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