Roger Ebert has Died: Traded Dreams of Priesthood for The Church of the Cinema

Last updated on: April 4, 2013 at 3:12 pm by Rebecca Cusey

Roger Ebert has Died: Traded Dreams of Priesthood for The Church of the Cinema 2013-04-04T15:12:38-06:00 Rebecca Cusey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In this new media age, there are fewer signposts than there used to be that you’ve made it.

But one day, Roger Ebert retweeted a tweet I’d sent him and linked to an interview I’d done with Randall Wallace. Some other critic had accused Wallace of making his movie Secretariat right-wing religious propaganda. Ebert, never afraid of calling out the right wing, still thought that unfair and my interview about the movie was evidence of balance.

I felt as proud as when I first saw my byline in USA Today or The Washington Post.

Ebert had gone to my site, inspected it, and found it relevant.

He was never above engaging with a lowly Twitter follower or a commenter on his blog. He never tired of calling out people he thought were full of themselves. He never shied away from a fight, whether it be with a fellow critic, someone on the opposite side of the political aisle, or the cancer that dogged him.

I disagreed with him politically and thought his Baby Boomer liberalism biased his views at times.

But he was a fantastic writer and an amazingly insightful critic when he was on. I have learned so much from him.

Roger Ebert was intended by his mother to become a Catholic priest, but he lost his faith: “It didn’t make sense to me any longer. There was no crisis of conscience. It simply all fell away.”

I like to think he found his transcendence in the flicker of a movie projector, his truth in the human condition portrayed through good writing and good acting, his liturgy in the first act leading to the second leading to the third.

Roger Ebert died today at the age of 70 from a long, bravely public battle with cancer.

Rest in peace, Roger. I hope you’re now watching the greatest story possible, munching on heavenly popcorn, and giving your life a thumbs up.

Previous Post

April 2, 2013

Remembering Grandad and Peleliu

Next Post

April 8, 2013 Win Movie Passes to see the Jackie Robinson Story in '42'

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Becky's Picks Children's Movies DVD releases Entertainment News Faith on Film Featured Hunger Games In Theaters Interviews Life, Etc. Mixed Nuts Movie Reviews Poliflix Scroogewatch slider Television Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jesus Paul John the Baptist Peter