You’re likely to walk away from seeing “Father Tony,” a documentary film about Father Tony Ricard, a New Orleans priest who has visited the diocese several times, with one or all of those conclusions.
The 65-minute film was produced and directed by Cynthia Capen, a Redlands resident who saw Fr. Tony celebrate Mass at The Holy Name of Jesus parish in 2005 and decided his charismatic style of ministry needed to be captured on film. It took seven years, overcoming natural disaster and financial challenges, but Capen finalized the movie last Spring. In September, she premiered it at the historic Joy Theater in New Orleans.
“I really felt from the beginning that this was a calling from God,” she says. “It was a journey. It strengthened my faith.”
Initially, it was to be a more light-hearted film, following Fr. Tony in his ministry as pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea parish and Catholic chaplain of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. Then Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans and devastated his parish community. The film would focus largely on his determination to keep the doors of the church open.
In addition to showing Fr. Tony ministering in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, the film captures him speaking to a youth gathering of 20,000 in Columbus, Ohio and ministering to children with cystic fibrosis, asthma and other pulmonary diseases at a summer camp for which he has served as director for 27 years.
“I hope that this film will inspire others to think about following God’s plans for them,” says Fr. Tony. “I’m blessed to be a Roman Catholic Priest, and I know that the priesthood is where God needs me to be. My prayer is that others too will be inspired to find their place in God’s plans.”
Capen has similar hopes and says she sought to make a positive portrayal of the priesthood in her film.
“The feedback I have been getting the most has been, ‘thanks for doing something on a priest that has a good slant for the Church,’ ” she said.
After premiering the film in Fr. Tony’s hometown she would next like to screen it in the Diocese of San Bernardino, Capen says, adding that it could be a good tool for promoting vocations to the priesthood locally.
“Perhaps there is one young man out there asking, ‘should I be a priest?’ and this movie is the tipping point,” she says.
Capen said she would also like to enter the movie in film festivals and is pursuing potential partnerships for its distribution. To view a trailer for the movie visit www.fathertonyfilm.com.