Hospitals, prisons, battlegrounds - these are the dramatic
life-or-death settings where you would expect to find
chaplains guiding the wayward and administering last rites.
But director Martin Doblmeier's new documentary, "Chaplains,"
shows that chaplains from various faith traditions also offer
pastoral care in little-known locations: Tyson Foods
processing plants, NASCAR race tracks, the U.S. Congress and
a Hollywood retirement home among them.
"As human beings we are all body, mind and spirit, and the
role of the chaplain is that dimension we call the spirit, a
role that too often goes underserved," Doblmeier said in
recent press materials released by his Alexandria-based
production company, Journey Films. "For many, that is where
they find meaning in their lives and at those times when we
ask the big questions like 'how could this happen to me' or
'why do I deserve this?' It's the chaplain's role not to
invent meaning but help the person reconnect to what is most
meaningful for them. And often there is a spiritual
dimension."
After working on the two-hour film since 2013, Doblmeier will
debut "Chaplains" at the Pryzbyla Student Center at Catholic
University in Washington Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. Admission to the
screening is free and open to the public. Father (Major
General) Paul K. Hurley, the U.S. Army's new Chief of
Chaplains and one of the documentary's subjects, will be in
attendance. After the screening, audience members will have
the chance to ask Doblmeier about the film's content and
production process. His director credits include more than 30
documentaries on topics of faith.
Doblmeier anticipates being asked why Catholics should "care
about chaplains from other faith traditions," such as the
female Buddhist chaplain who serves at a men's maximum prison
in Oregon. His answer is to encourage "religious civility"
and dampen "intolerance," which he calls a form of
"ignorance," by witnessing non-Catholic beliefs put into
practice.
"Most of us genuinely do live in our own religious silos," he
said. Outside of those silos, we can feel "threatened" or
"unnerved."
"When members of other faiths are nameless and faceless, it
can be difficult to see their humanity," he said. He added
that it's rarely the faith traditions themselves that promote
violence or otherwise hateful behavior, "but, rather,
misconceptions of the faith." Doblmeier makes films about
religion because "religion can offer solutions to societal
problems and civil unrest."
Doblmeier anticipates Catholics will connect with the
subjects he chose, regardless of their faith tradition. In
selecting subjects, Doblmeier faced "literally thousands of
story possibilities," but he chose people who were
representative of their faith traditions yet serving in
unconventional places. He also sought to "balance the harder
story (like prison and the military)" with "a lighter, more
entertaining story (like NASCAR)."
"In the end, television is here to engage the masses," he
said. "This is not a theological dissertation."
The challenge of presenting religious content on television
today, according to Doblmeier, is that "there's a great
suspicion that you might be proselytizing." Nonetheless, he
hopes the film will resonate with secular audiences as they
watch chaplains "live and celebrate their faith" as
counselors and mentors.
"Chaplains" also will be screened at Parliament of the
World's Religions in Salt Lake City in October, with a total
of 24 screenings in the works. Available on DVD Oct. 1, the
documentary will air in two segments on PBS stations
beginning November 2015.
Find out more
To learn more about additional screenings, air dates and DVD
orders, go to journeyfilms.com.
Stoddard can be reached at cstoddard@catholicherald.com.