Executive producer Sam Katz believes viewers will enjoy Urban Trinity: The Story of Catholic Philadelphia, which will have a special screening next week at Holy Family University.
“I feel we made a very successful film,” he said. “I think we told the story well. It turned out great. It’s quite an interesting story.”
Katz, a businessman and former Republican candidate for mayor and governor, is founder of History Making Productions.
After losing the 2003 mayoral race, he began looking at other avenues. He saw documentaries on New York and Chicago, and decided to make one on Philadelphia.
Katz’s previous related experience was merely going to the movies and eating popcorn or taking home videos of his kids.
“It was very different from the rest of my career,” he said.
In making Urban Trinity: The Story of Catholic Philadelphia, Katz said he’s worked with some talented and creative people.
The 80-minute film will be shown on Thursday, Feb. 11, starting at 7 p.m. at Holy Family’s Sister Francesca Onley Education and Technology Center, 9801 Frankford Ave. A discussion with Katz will follow.
The free event is sponsored by Holy Family, the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History and the Northeast Times.
The film covers the time from the 1790s to the present, and how Catholics came from Europe, Southeast Asia and Latino countries.
“I knew Philadelphia was a very Catholic city and a city of immigrants,” Katz said. “It was a great opportunity to produce this story.”
The movie does not dwell on negatives, but mentions the priest sexual abuse scandal and the long-ago riots of the choice of Bibles in public schools.
The bulk of the movie centers on issues such as how many people define their neighborhood as their parish, and the boom of new schools and churches. There’s a mention of Cardinal Dennis Dougherty, who oversaw building of the new infrastructure and was known as “God’s bricklayer.”
The film also explores how the Catholic Church expanded by establishing hospitals and colleges.
Later, the G.I. Bill and construction of the highway system led to middle-class white flight to the suburbs.
The film was shown on 6ABC on the eve of the visit by Pope Francis last September, and received high ratings.
There was also a premiere at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts attended by Archbishop Charles Chaput, priests and nuns.
Katz has hosted programs at St. Joseph’s University, La Salle University and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Upcoming screenings will take place at Chestnut Hill College, Immaculata University and Villanova University.
Katz is proud of the collaborative effort that went into the film.
“It was a very rewarding experience. Difficult, but rewarding,” Katz said. “The storytelling is really good, and the visuals make for a really great story.”
To make a reservation for next week’s screening at Holy Family, call 267–341–4002 or email events@holyfamily.edu
For more information, visit urbantrinityfilm.com ••
