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# Edgy Recruits
- URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/1986/
- Published: 2005-08-11T12:00:30.000Z
- Updated: 2005-08-11T12:00:30.000Z
- Author: Eric Scheske
- Tags: Entertainment, Religion, #wpChunk

The Catholic Church is turning to Hollywood-marketing to recruit priests, and it just may be working. [Link](http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050811-121555-3335r.htm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Excerpts:

> "If we can get high-school youth to hang a picture of a priest in their room, that's huge in helping young men to answer the call to the priesthood," \[poster-creator Fr. Meyer\] said. "Anyone who is a 'Matrix' guru looks at the picture and automatically gets it."

> Crucifix in hand, Father Meyer posed for \[a Matrix-inspired\] poster, rated R for "restricted to those radically in love with Jesus Christ." Running time is "all eternity," and its title reads, "The Catholic priesthood: The answer is out there ... and it's calling you."

> Dioceses across the country are borrowing from Tinseltown to compare the austerities of the priesthood to the heroes of "Lord of the Rings," "Gladiator," "Men in Black," "Spider-Man" and "Star Wars."

> "They are appealing to young men's desire to be a warrior for the good," said the Rev. Bill Parent, executive director for Catholic identity and mission at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. "It's a romantic idea of being the one who combats evil." . . .

> The Archdiocese of Washington has 53 men in seminary this fall for the priesthood, double the number enrolled in 1998.

> "Ironically, the last entering class of 15 men I helped bring in, which started in the fall of 2002, was our largest in 20 years," Father Parent said, "and that was at the height of the scandal."

> The men were inspired, he added, by the elevation of celibate heroes and the embrace of sacrifice in "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," "Spider-Man" and "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones," all released in 2001 or 2002.

> "The idea that a celibate priesthood could be heroic is alien to our culture, but the Jedi knights were celibate," he said. "Most seminarians loved that first 'Spider-Man' movie; the idea he had to make a sacrifice, could not have a relationship with M.J., his girlfriend, because it would put her in danger. . .".