She said the reason why she made the film, about horrible hypocrisy (especially regarding sexuality) among parish priests, was that she was angry that the Church refused to change its teaching on contraception. Rather than make a movie about contraception per se, she attacked the priesthood.
This should be an important reminder for all of us. She understood something fundamental to the Church that some Catholic may have forgotten. The priesthood is the pillar of the Church. If we have no priests, we lose many of the sacraments, particularly Eucharist and Confession. If you destroy the priesthood, the Church will wither.
Bird understood this, which is why she attacked not just priests, but the priesthood itself. Sadly, I don't know how good of a job we as Catholics in America are doing of building the priesthood up. I'm not saying we don't support those with vocations. But do we encourage our sons, our friends, our friends to explore this path the same way we encourage careers in medicine, law, teaching, etc.? The harvest is many, but the laborers are few.
Some are doing their part. Bird understood the power of the visual media. The US Catholic Bishops put out this video a few years ago and it is stirring:
Even though Antonia Bird attacked the priesthood of our Catholic faith, let us return her attack with love and mercy. Let us pray for the repose of her soul this day. And let us pray for more laborers to minister in the vineyard of the Lord.
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