♪♪ >>> COMING UP -- THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

KIM LAWTON AND I TALK WITH INTERFAITH ALLIANCE PRESIDENT JACK MOLINE.

>>> AND, KATE OLSON ON THE NEW CAMALDOLI HERMITAGE IN CALIFORNIA WITH 24 MONKS AND 700 OBLATES, MEN AND WOMEN CONNECTED TO A MONASTERY AND ITS RULES BUT LIVING IN THE "WORLD."

>>> ALSO, KIM LAWTON ON THE NEW MARTIN SCORSESE MOVIE, "SILENCE."

WELCOME.

I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

MANY RELIGIOUS LEADERS SWIFTLY CONDEMNED A SERIES OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY PRESIDENT TRUMP THIS WEEK THAT TARGETED IMMIGRANTS.

ON WEDNESDAY, TRUMP SIGNED A PAIR OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT INCLUDED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MEXICAN BORDER WALL AND GREATER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.

THE PRESIDENT PLANS TO HIRE 10,000 MORE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AND 5,000 ADDITIONAL BORDER PATROL AGENTS.

HE SAID HE WOULD LIMIT FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SO-CALLED "SANCTUARY CITYs, CITIES THAT DON'T REPORT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.

TRUMP ALSO PLANS TO RESTRICT THE ADMISSION OF PEOPLE FROM A NUMBER OF MUSLIM-MAJORITY NATIONS, INCLUDING IRAN, LIBYA, SOMALIA, YEMEN, SYRIA, AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK, TRUMP SIGNED A DOCUMENT THAT CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONTROVERSIAL KEYSTONE PIPELINE.

PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD REJECTED THE 1,100-MILE PIPELINE IN 2015.

TRUMP ALSO CALLED FOR EXPEDITING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.

NATIVE AMERICAN AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS HAD VIGOROUSLY PROTESTED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT PIPELINE BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WOULD THREATEN WATER SUPPLIES AND SACRED SITES.

THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS HAD ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH IT WOULD LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO REINSTATED AND EXPANDED THE BAN ON PROVIDING FEDERAL MONEY TO INTERNATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING GROUPS THAT PERFORM OR PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT ABORTIONS.

CRITICS SAY WITHOUT THIS FUNDING MANY ORGANIZATIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR COMBATTING HIV, ZIKA AND OTHER DISEASES.

>>> THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS FOLLOW A WEEKEND OF PROTESTS, MOST NOTABLY LAST WEEK'S WOMEN'S MARCH.

IN WASHINGTON, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD, MORE THAN 2 MILLION WOMEN GATHERED TO PROTEST TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AND MANY OF HIS POLICIES.

>>> ON FRIDAY, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ABORTION OPPONENTS GATHERED IN WASHINGTON FOR THE 44TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE.

VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE WAS A SPEAKER AT THE EVENT.

HE IS THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT TO SPEAK AT THE MARCH.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHO MANAGED TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN AND IS NOW A WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR, ALSO SPOKE.

JOINING ME TO EXAMINE THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND WHAT MANY PEOPLE OF FAITH HAVE SAID ABOUT THEM, ARE MANAGING EDITOR KIM LAWTON AND RABBI JACK MOLINE, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERFAITH ALLIANCE.

WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.

RABBI, YOU HAVE REFERRED TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ANNOUNCED AS DEEPLY UN-AMERICAN.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

>> BOB, OUR COUNTRY IS FOUNDED ON THE NOTION THAT PEOPLE CAN COME FROM ANY PLACE OF OPPRESSION AND FIND FREEDOM HERE.

AND YET, THE PRESIDENT HAS LIFTED XENOPHOBIA TO A LEVEL OF A NATIONAL VALUE WHICH SEEMS TO ME TO BE CONTRARY TO OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS.

>> DO YOU HEAR PEOPLE EXPRESSING FEAR?

>> YES.

PARTICULARLY IN THE MUSLIM-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS GREAT CONCERN THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF INVESTIGATION OF THEIR PERSONAL LIVES AND THEIR PERSONAL PRACTICE OF RELIGIOUS TRADITION.

OTHERS ARE AFRAID AS WELL.

PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE WITH PRESUMPTION THAT THEY COULD WORK TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP AND NOW FIND THEMSELVES IN DANGER.

>> IT'S INTERESTING THIS WEEK, THERE WERE STATEMENTS FROM A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS, A LOT OF STATEMENTS, A LOT OF REACTION.

THERE WERE SOME LIKE THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS WHO APPLAUDED PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SOME OF THE ABORTION ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN THIS WEEK BUT WERE ALSO CRITICAL OF THESE ISSUES, IMMIGRATION, REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.

MANY OF THOSE GROUPS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.

HOW DIVERSE OF A COALITION YOU'RE SEEING?

>> I THINK IT'S A PRETTY DIVERSE COALITION, KIM, THOUGH I'M NOT AN EVANGELICAL OR CATHOLIC PRIEST AND NOT PLAYING ONE ON TELEVISION, I THINK THAT THEIR DEDICATION TO MATTERS OF SUPPORTING LIFE GEL VERY WELL WITH THE MORE PROGRESSIVE DENOMINATIONS AND THEIR VALUES OF PRESERVING DIGNITY AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S COMING TOGETHER.

>> WE YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT.

ARE WE MOVING TOWARDS THE RELIGIOUS LEFT NOW?

>> I'M ALWAYS HESITANT TO USE THAT TERM BECAUSE IT ONLY BRINGS THE DIVISIONS IN POLITICS INTO RELIGION.

WE ALL WORSHIP AND WE ALL STRUGGLE TO FIND THE RIGHT VALUES THAT REFLECT BOTH OUR PARTICULAR AND UNIVERSAL APPROACH TO LIFE.

BUT I'M HOPING THAT THE PROGRESSIVE VALUES OF RELIGIOUS TRADITION, THE ONE THAT TEARS WALLS DOWN, RATHER THAN BUILDING THEM UP, ARE GOING TO BECOME THE NEW NORMS.

>> WELL, YOU PHRASED A LOT OF THESE CONCERNS IN TERMS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

WHICH IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM CONSERVATIVES IN THE CAMPAIGN SEASON.

HOW DO YOU SEE SOME OF THESE ACTIONS AFFECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE PRACTICE OF THAT?

>> IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE WHEN YOU THINK THAT WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT NOW THAT IS TRYING TO LEGISLATE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FAITHFUL, FAITHFUL TO AMERICA, FAITHFUL TO A PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE.

WE HEARD THAT IN THE PREINAUGURAL SERMON THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS PRESENTED WITH.

AND IF YOU DON'T FIT INTO THAT PRETTY NARROW DEFINITION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN RELIGIOUS PERSON THAT HAS A CHILLING EFFECT ON YOUR SENSE OF BEING AT HOME IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> AND EVEN SOME GROUPS THAT HAD SUPPORTED PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE CAMPAIGN SEASON, VOTED FOR HIM PERHAPS, NOW HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING SOME CONCERNS.

WHILE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TREATMENT OF MUSLIMS AND THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT, WELL, IF YOU RESTRICT ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE AS YOU SAID, HOW MIGHT THAT AFFECT US AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE FELT THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAYBE HAS BEEN RESTRICTING THEM MIGHT BE MOVING FORWARD NOW, SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH.

>> I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED DURING THE COURSE OF NOT JUST THIS TRANSITION BUT THE CAMPAIGN ITSELF THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF AMERICA WHO WERE STANDING UP FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND SAYING THEIR RELIGIOUS FAITH IS NO MORE RELEVANT THAN IT IS TO SOMEONE WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE WHO IS PROTECTED IN HIS FAITHS AND BELIEFS BY THE CONSTITUTION.

>> OUR TIME IS UP, I'M SORRY TO SAY.

MANY THANKS TO RABBI JACK MOLINE OF INTERFAITH ALLIANCE AND TO KIM LAWTON OF THIS PROGRAM.

♪♪ 2íúó[tf7 >> WE HAVE A REPORT TODAY ON MONKS AND OBLATES.

OBLATES ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO FOLLOW MANY OF A MONASTERY'S RULES BUT WHO LIVE THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES IN "THE WORLD."

CORRESPONDENT KATE OLSON VISITED THE NEW CAMALDOLI HERMITAGE IN BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA.Glz IT HAS 24 MONKS AND 700 OBLATES, ONE OF WHOM RECALLED THE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE SHE ONCE HAD THERE.

SUPPORT FOR THIS SEGMENT WAS PROVIDED BY THE GEORGE FAMILY FOUNDATION.

♪ ♪ LIKE INCENSE LET MY PRAYER RISE BEFORE YOU, O GOD ♪ >> I WAS PROBABLY IN MY LATE 30s AT THAT TIME, AND FOR THE PREVIOUS 20 YEARS I HAD BEEN COMPLETELY AWAY FROM FAITH AND REALLY FELT MYSELF TO BE AN ATHEIST.

I DON'T THINK I'D EVER EVEN TALKED TO A PRIEST BEFORE, MUCH LESS SEEING A MONK, AND HERE WERE THESE MONKS, AND THEY WERE DRESSED IN THEIR INTERESTING AND STRANGE WHITE ROBES, AND IT JUST STRUCK ME SO HARD THAT THIS WAS REALLY A RADICALLY ALTERNATIVE WAY TO LIVE.

>> MEETING THE MONKS OF NEW CAMALDOLI HERMITAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME 30 YEARS AGO WAS A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR PAULA HUSTON, WHO TAUGHT WRITING AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY IN SAN LUIS OBISPO.

>> I THINK I WAS ALSO REALLY STRUCK BY THE GENTLENESS, THE QUIET, THE KINDNESS.

AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH THE DIVORCE AND DIVORCE COURT, I WAS USED TO A MUCH DIFFERENT ATTITUDE FROM THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE AT THAT POINT.

IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME I THINK I HAD TIME TO LOOK INSIDE OF MYSELF, JUST TO CONFRONT WHO WAS INSIDE.

WHO WAS THIS ANGRY YOUNG WOMAN INSIDE?

WHAT WAS I SO ANGRY ABOUT, AND WHAT HAD I BEEN MISSING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS?

WHAT WAS I DEEPLY LONGING FOR?

>> PERCHED ON THE CLIFFS OVERLOOKING THE PACIFIC OCEAN, THE HERMITAGE IS A POPULAR RETREAT LOCATION.

THROUGH THEIR MINISTRY OF HOSPITALITY, THE CAMALDOLESE BENEDICTINES' COMMUNITY WELCOME GUESTS TO EXPERIENCE THEIR LIFE OF CONTEMPLATION AND PRAYER.

>> I THINK THAT PEOPLE KNOW INTUITIVELY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING FROM THEIR DIET.

>> CYPRIAN CONSIGLIO IS THE PRIOR AT THE HERMITAGE.

>> IF WE'RE NOT ROOTED IN THE SPIRITUAL, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS ACTUALLY THE DEEPEST PART OF BEING HUMAN, THEN WE'RE NOT FULLY ALIVE.

AND THE THING THAT'S REALLY STARVING IS OUR SOULS.

WE KEEP TRYING TO FILL IT UP ON THE OUTSIDE, NOT REALIZING THAT THERE IS THIS FOUNTAIN INSIDE.n ♪♪ >> DAILY LIFE AT THE HERMITAGE IS GUIDED BY A RULE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND LIVING IN COMMUNITY WRITTEN 1,500 YEARS AGO BY ST. BENEDICT.

>> BENEDICT REALLY LAYS THE DAY OUT FOR THE MONK WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL KIND OF PROPORTION OF THE DAY BETWEEN PRAYER, WORK, AND STUDY.

♪♪ >> THE MONKS SUSTAIN THEIR WAY OF LIFE THROUGH THEIR RETREAT MINISTRY AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRIENDS.

THEY COMBINE SOLITUDE AND COMMUNITY, LIVING AS HERMITS IN INDIVIDUAL CELLS AND GATHERING FOR PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

>> WE STOP AT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY TO RENEW OUR PRAYER, SO THAT NOW I CAN GO TO THE KITCHEN AGAIN AND STILL KEEP PRAYING THERE, AND NOW I CAN MEET WITH A RETREATANT AND TALK TO HER OR HIM AND STILL BE MINDFUL IN PRAYER THERE, OR I CAN DO MY WORK IN MY OFFICE AND STILL BE MINDFUL.

IT'S NOT ABOUT ESCAPING ORDINARY LIFE.

IT'S JUST NOT.

IT'S ABOUT COMING BACK TO ORDINARY LIFE AND REALIZING, OH, GOD WAS IN THIS PLACE, TOO, AND I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT BEFORE.

>> THE MONKS PRACTICE LECTIO DIVINA, WHICH MEANS SACRED READING, LISTENING FOR THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING THROUGH SCRIPTURE OR OTHER TEXTS.

COLUMBA STEWART IS A SCHOLAR OF MONASTICISM AND A BENEDICTINE MONK AT ST. JOHN'S ABBEY IN COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA.

>> I'M REMINDED REGULARLY OF HOW EASY IT IS TO REPRESS AND SUPPRESS WHAT I'M ACTUALLY FEELING ABOUT SOMETHING UNTIL IT BUBBLES UP IN MY TIMES OF SILENCE AND PRAYER.

SO I THINK THAT IS PART OF WHAT BENEDICT MEANS BY LISTENING WITH THE EAR OF OUR HEART-——OF PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S INSIDE AND WHAT IS OPERATING AT DEPTHS BELOW THE LEVEL OF WHICH WE CONDUCT MOST OF OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.

>> SPENDING TIME IN SOLITUDE AND SILENCE AT THE HERMITAGE HELPED HUSTON CONFRONT THE ANXIETY THAT HAD GRIPPED HER LIFE SINCE CHILDHOOD.

>> I WAS SO BUSY, SO STRESSED OUT ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS IN A RUSH, NEVER ON TIME, WAY TOO MANY THINGS ON MY "T?,TçIST.

I FOUND THAT SO MANY THINGS WOULD GET BLOCKED BY THE FEAR OF SOMETHING GOING WRONG.

I CONSCIOUSLY HANDED THAT LIFETIME OF ANXIETY OVER TO GOD AND SAID I CAN'T GET RID OF IT ON MY OWN, BUT I'M GOING TO GO TO BED AND NOT PUT THE WOODEN SPOON IN THE WINDOW.

AND I SLEPT, AND IT WAS LIKE BEING HEALED.

>> LONGING FOR A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, HUSTON BECAME AN OBLATE OF NEW CAMALDOLI, ADAPTING THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICE OF PRAYER FOLLOWED BY THE MONKS TO HER LIFE OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY.

HUSTON PRAYS AT HOME IN THE MORNING AND EVENING, AND PRACTICES LECTIO DIVINA.

AND, AS ST. BENEDICT RECOMMENDS, SHE SPENDS TIME EVERY DAY DOING PHYSICAL LABOR, WORKING ON THE LAND.

HER WRITING STUDIO NOW DOUBLES AS A MODIFIED CELL, WHERE SHE COMBINES WRITING AND PRAYER, WHICH HAS CHANGED HOW SHE SEES HER WORK.

>> I USED TO SEE WHAT I WAS DOING AS MY PATH TO THE PULITZER PRIZE, AND THAT IS LONG GONE.

NOW IT'S MY WAY OF SERVING.

THAT'S HOW IT SEE IT.

>> SHE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT FOLLOWING THE RULE, AN EXAMPLE OF THE MONKS, TRANSFORMED HER RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.

>> WHEN MIKE, MY HUSBAND, WHO HAS ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH COMPUTERS, WOULD ASK ME YET AGAIN FOR HELP, LISTENING TO THE TONE OF MY OWN VOICE WHEN I óTí WOULD BE DOING A GOOD DEED, BUT ACTUALLY SOUNDING IMPATIENT, BECAUSE I WAS LEARNING FROM THE RULE AND FROM WATCHING THE MONKS THAT IT'S THESE LITTLE WAYS OF BEHAVING WITH ONE ANOTHER, WHETHER WE APPROACH SOMEONE WITH GENUINE WARMTH AND GENTLENESS OR WHETHER WE STAND BACK IN A KIND OF COOL AND ALOOF WAY, THAT'S AN ENORMOUS -- IT HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OTHER PEOPLE.

♪ GIVE US THIS DAY ♪ >> THE REAL DYNAMIC OF THE RULE IS TO MOVE FROM THE SELF TO THE OTHER.

WHAT BENEDICT IS DOING IS PROVIDING A CHARTER FOR MAKING A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY ENDURES AND THAT CAN ENCOMPASS A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.

THEY'RE ALL THERE FOR SOME PURPOSE THAT'S REALLY BEYOND THEMSELVES, THIS SPIRITUAL QUEST, AND THEY RECOGNIZE THEY 3u3u3u3u> CAN'T DO IT BY THEMSELVES.

>> THE RULE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MODERATION.

>> HAVING FOUND COMMUNITY AT NEW CAMALDOLI, HUSTON TEAMS UP WITH ONE OF THE MONKS TO GIVE RETREATS ON BENEDICTINE SPIRITUALITY AND ITS CONTEMPLATIVE APPROACH TO LIFE.

>> WHAT I FIND INTERESTING AS A HISTORIAN IS THAT, IN A SENSE, WE'RE GOING BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, WITH A VARIETY OF MODELS OF CHRISTIAN ASCETIC LIFE.

AND BY ASCETIC I JUST MEAN DISCIPLINED, AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE RECOVERING, AND THEN THEY'RE FIGURING OUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN LIVE THAT AS INDIVIDUALS, AS FAMILIES, AS LOOSE ASSOCIATIONS OF FRIENDS WHO FIND THIS PARTICULAR PATH TO BE HELPFUL AND SUSTAINING AND NOURISHING TO THEM.

♪♪ >> WHATEVER NEW FORMS ARISE, THE SHARED COMMITMENT OF MONKS AND OBLATES TO LIVE BY AN ANCIENT RULE MAY NOT ONLY ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF MONASTICISM, BUT BRING ITS WAY OF LIFE TO A WIDER WORLD.

>> THIS IS A LITTLE VILLAGE.

WE'RE LIVING A LIFE WITH OUR STAFF AND OUR FRIENDS AND OUR RETREATANTS BESIDE THE INNER CORE COMMUNITY OF MONKS, AND HOPEFULLY WE ARE MODELING A WAY OF LIFE, MODELING A DIFFERENT WAY TO BE IN THE WORLD.

>> FOR "RELIGION AND ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," THIS IS KATE OLSON REPORTING FROM BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA.

♪♪ >>> THERE'S A NEW MOVIE OUT THAT IS RECEIVING A LOT OF PRAISE FROM PEOPLE OF FAITH.

IT'S CALLED "SILENCE" AND ITS DIRECTOR IS MARTIN SCORSESE.

IT'S ABOUT JESUIT MISSIONARIES TO JAPAN IN THE 17TH CENTURY AND THE WRENCHING MORAL AND SPIRITUAL DILEMMAS THEY FACED.

KIM LAWTON SPOKE WITH ONE OF ITS JESUIT CONSULTANTS, FATHER JIM MARTIN.

HE SAYS THE MOVIE WAS MOTIVATED BY SCORSESE'S OWN CATHOLIC FAITH.

>> FERREIRA IS LOST TO US.

HE RENOUNCED GOD IN PUBLIC AND SURRENDERED THE FAITH.

>> THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

FATHER FERREIRA RISKED HIS LIFE TO SPREAD OUR FAITH ALL OVER JAPAN.

>> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR MISSION HERE IS MORE URGENT THAN EVER.

WE MUST GO FIND FATHER FERREIRA.

>> IN MARTIN SCORSESE'S INTENSE NEW FILM SET IN THE 17TH CENTURY, TWO PORTUGUESE JESUITS, FATHER RODRIGUES AND FATHER GARUPE, ARE SENT TO JAPAN TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS THAT THEIR MISSIONARY MENTOR HAS RENOUNCED HIS FAITH.

>> FERREIRA, YOU'VE SEEN HIM.

>> THE PRIDE FOR YOUR GLORY IS THEIR SUFFERING.

>> THE PRIESTS DISCOVER THE BRUTAL PERSECUTION ENDURED BY JAPANESE CHRISTIANS, WHO ARE PRESSURED TO COMMIT APOSTASY BY STEPPING ON AN IMAGE OF JESUS.

>> WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

>> TRAMPLE.

IT'S ALL RIGHT TO TRAMPLE.

>> YOU CAN'T.

>> ULTIMATELY, THE PRIESTS ARE FACED WITH THE SAME WRENCHING DILEMMA WHEN THE REGIME DEMANDS THEY COMMIT APOSTASY IN ORDER TO SAVE LOCAL CHRISTIANS FROM BEING TORTURED TO DEATH.

>> FATHER RODRIGUES FINDS HIMSELF UNDER TORTURE, BEING FORCED TO APOSTATIZE, RECANT THE FAITH, AND IF HE DOESN'T APOSTATIZE, PEOPLE WILL BE TORTURED -- OTHER JAPANESE CHRISTIANS.

IF HE DOES APOSTATIZE, THEN HE FEELS LIKE HE ABANDONS CHRIST, THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN HIS LIFE.

>> FATHER JIM MARTIN, EDITOR-AT-LARGE FOR THE "JESUIT AMERICA" MAGAZINE, SERVED AS A CONSULTANT ON THE FILM.

>> MOST MOVIES DEAL WITH WHAT I CALL FAKE SPIRITUALITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THE PERSON BELIEVES IN GOD OR PRAYS, AND SUDDENLY EVERYTHING IS FINE, OR THEY FEEL FINE.

THIS IS REAL SPIRITUALITY, WHICH IS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN GOD AND STUFF MAY STILL GO WRONG, RIGHT?

AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THEM SUFFER?

>> ACTOR LIAM NEESON PLAYS FATHER FERREIRA, WHO DID RECANT HIS FAITH.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR THEM?

PRAY?

AND GET WHAT IN RETURN?

ONLY MORE SUFFERING.

SUFFERING ONLY YOU CAN END.

NOT GOD.

I PRAYED, TOO, RODRIGUES.

IT DOESN'T HELP.

>> MUCH OF THE FILM FOCUSES ON FATHER RODRIGUES'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGHOUT HIS ORDEAL.

>> IT IS LARGELY ABOUT GOD'S SEEMING SILENCE ON THE PART OF THE MAIN CHARACTER, FATHER RODRIGUES.

HE WONDERS WHY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, AND HE ALSO DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WHAT WE CALL CONSOLATION OR DIRECT EXPERIENCE OF GOD IN HIS PRAYER.

AND SO HE DOESN'T FEEL GOD'S PRESENCE.

IT'S VERY COMMON.

WE HAVE SOMEONE LIKE MOTHER TERESA, WHO WENT THROUGH AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SILENCE IN HER LIFE.

EVEN THOUGH SHE'S A SAINT AND VERY CLOSE TO GOD, AND GOD WAS CLOSE TO HER, SHE DIDN'T FEEL IT INTERIORLY.

>> THE FILM ALSO STARKLY DEPICTS THE SUFFERING OF JAPANESE CHRISTIANS AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THEIR FAITH STRUGGLES.

ONE KEY CHARACTER, KICHIJIRO, COMMITS APOSTASY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

>> HE KEEPS ASKING FATHER RODRIGUES FOR FORGIVENESS, AND YET HE IS VERY HUMAN.

AT ONE POINT HE SAYS, "WHY WASN'T I BORN AT A DIFFERENT TIME?

I WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD CHRISTIAN."

AT THE END SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HIM, WHICH I WON'T REVEAL, WHICH MAKES YOU REALIZE HE IS A GOOD CHRISTIAN.

>> "SILENCE" IS A PASSION PROJECT FOR SCORSESE, WHO READ THE JAPANESE NOVEL WITH THE SAME NAME IN 1989 AND IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO ADAPT IT FOR THE BIG SCREEN.

MARTIN SAYS SCORSESE WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS CATHOLIC FAITH.

>> HE IS A MAN OF DEEP FAITH, AND HE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS WRESTLED WITH THESE THEMES AND THESE THEOLOGICAL ISSUES HIS WHOLE LIFE.

THEY COME OUT IN HIS MOVIES EITHER IMPLICITLY OR EXPLICITLY.

>> SCORSESE'S 1988 MOVIE, "THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST," GENERATED PROTESTS FROM SOME IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY WHO OBJECTED TO A SEQUENCE WHERE JESUS IMAGINED HAVING SEX WITH MARY MAGDALENE.

THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS CALLED IT "MORALLY OFFENSIVE."

SCORSESE SCREENED THIS FILM FOR JESUITS AT THE VATICAN, AND WHILE HE WAS THERE HE AND HIS FAMILY HAD AN AUDIENCE WITH POPE FRANCIS.÷y IN AN INTERVIEW, SCORSESE TOLD MARTIN ABOUT GROWING UP IN AN ITALIAN CATHOLIC FAMILY IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE OF NEW YORK.

>> IT WAS LIKE A LIVING ORGANISM, THE WHOLE PLACE, AND THE CHURCH WAS THE CENTER.

>> SCORSESE WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND WAS AN ALTAR BOY.

HE SAID HE EVEN CONSIDERED BECOMING A MISSIONARY HIMSELF.

>> I WAS FASCINATED BY STORIES OF THE MISSIONARIES WHEN I WAS ABOUT 8 OR 9, 10 YEARS OLD, AND I WANTED TO BECOME A MARYKNOLL MISSIONARY.

>> IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE MISSIONARIES OF THE MARYKNOLLS?

>> THE COURAGE, THE TESTING, AND THE HELPING.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY.

>> SCORSESE TOLD MARTIN HE SEES SILENCE AS AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEPTH OF FAITH.

>> IT'S THE STRUGGLE FOR THE VERY ESSENCE OF FAITH, STRIPPING AWAY EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND IT.

YOU HAVE TO FIND A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, I THINK, WITH YOURSELF REALLY, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT'S THE ONE YOU FACE.

>> MARTIN READ DRAFTS OF THE SCRIPT TO HELP ENSURE THAT IT AUTHENTICALLY REPRESENTED JESUIT BELIEFS.

HE ALSO WORKED WITH SOME OF THE ACTORS, ESPECIALLY ANDREW GARFIELD, WHO PLAYS FATHER RODRIGUES.

OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS, MARTIN LED GARFIELD THROUGH A HALLMARK OF JESUIT SPIRITUALITY, THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS.

>> THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS ARE AN EXTENSIVE RETREAT, AND THEY TAKE YOU THROUGH THE LIFE OF CHRIST, AND THEY ASK THE RETREATANTS TO PLACE THEMSELVES IMAGINATIVELY IN THE GOSPEL SCENES.

SO YOU ARE ACCOMPANYING JESUS IN YOUR IMAGINATION, AND THROUGH THE SPIRIT, WE BELIEVE, AND YOU GET A CHANCE TO MEET JESUS ONE-ON-ONE.

>> AT ONE POINT IN THE FILM, GARFIELD'S CHARACTER QUOTES DIRECTLY FROM THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES.

>> WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR CHRIST?

WHAT AM I DOING FOR CHRIST?

WHAT WILL I DO FOR CHRIST?

>> THE FILM IS VERY JESUIT.

THE JESUITS TALKED TO ONE ANOTHER AS JESUITS WOULD -- OR AT LEAST AS I THINK JESUITS WOULD.

AND THE ACTORS THEMSELVES KNOW A LOT ABOUT JESUITS, ESPECIALLY ANDREW.

I MEAN ANDREW KNOWS AS MUCH ABOUT IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY AS A SECOND-YEAR JESUIT NOVICE.

>> MANY OF THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE MAKING OF "SILENCE" SAY IT WAS A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

>> WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU SPIRITUALLY?

>> IT'S A PILGRIMAGE.

WE ARE STILL ON THE ROAD.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO END.

>> MARTIN BELIEVES THE RESULT IS A RICH PORTRAYAL OF THE BEAUTY AND THE COMPLEXITY OF LIVING OUT FAITH, SOMETHING NOT OFTEN SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN.

I'M KIM LAWTON REPORTING.

>>> ON OUR CALENDAR, CHINESE NEW YEAR BEGAN THIS WEEK.

TRADITIONALLY, THE HOLIDAY WAS A TIME TO HONOR HEAVENLY DEITIES AS WELL AS ANCESTORS.

TODAY THE HOLIDAY, ALSO KNOWN AS SPRING FESTIVAL, GIVES CHINESE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REUNITE WITH FAMILY.

2017 MARKS THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER, A SYMBOL OF HARD WORK.

>>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR NOW.

I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

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JOIN US AT PBS.ORG/RELIGIONETHICS.

AS WE LEAVE YOU, MUSIC FROM THE INAUGURAL PRAYER SERVICE AT THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪