Jim McDermott

A new documentary explores why Judy Garland's Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" propelled the actor to icon status within the LGBTQ+ community.

 Horror, is "sometimes the wrapper the story is in, but you have to understand that he's writing about love, and he's writing about humanity," the filmmaker said.   

"Redwood" billed itself as a musical about a grieving mother who is healed by her time in the forest. But what made the show extraordinary is the way in which we, too, are afforded a taste of the ways in which nature can heal us.

We’re all trapped on this same train, looking for some kind of escape or relief.  And as we remember at Easter, God is present here with us, in our community.

The French documentary 7 Walks with Mark Brown, filmed by Pierre Creton and Vincent Barré, helped me realize the whole world is charged with the grandeur of God, not just the parts that stand out or look nice.

Amidst the chaos of an industry trying to regain its footing after the strikes of 2023, one fascinating trend that has emerged among popular shows is a focus on pastoral care. Jim McDermott examines the trend using "Ted Lasso," "Shrinking" and "The Pitt" as models.

While the reality of the next Congress is yet to be determined, Jim McDermott's firsthand observation of the Senate Judiciary Committee under Sen. Dick Durbin shows what can still be achieved in a time of polarization.

Although the play "N/A" "offers just a few brief references to Nancy Pelosi's Catholic faith," writes Jim McDermott, "the character seemed to exude a Catholic sensibility."

While Walz has a number of other appealing — and one might think more important — qualifications, what seems to be most exciting people about him and the Harris/Walz campaign is this notion of the good neighbor. 

"Taking President Joe Biden's faith seriously, I have found myself wondering what resources we in the church might be able to provide him in this very difficult moment," writes Jim McDermott

After Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, one of the most immediately and irrevocably impacted locations was a beloved Ukrainian zoo located close to the Russian border. 

Watching people march joyously through downtown Queens, the thing that struck me most was how much the celebration of Pride emerges from an experience that is also at the heart of Christianity.

"Teeth" is an off-Broadway musical challenging Christian purity groups and American society's constructions of women.

What allows some to sustain prejudice, suspicion and uncertainty toward LGBTQ people is the fact that too many of us keep silent. It's easy to demonize people who never get to speak for themselves. 

Confirmation is not itself a test, writes Jim McDermott. It is a liturgy, a moment in which we ask the Holy Spirit to come down and fill the hearts of the confirmands.

The most profoundly meaningful experience of the Eucharist that Jim McDermott has witnessed in the last year occurred on the Hulu TV series 'Fargo.' Perhaps the National Eucharist Revival could learn from it. 

During Advent, we celebrate Mary's willingness to say yes to God — as we should. But as noted by the women of "The Gardens of Anuncia," there’s something else to celebrate: God allowed her the freedom to also say no.

Society's "clowns" force us to surrender what we think we know in favor of a greater joy, writes Jim McDermott. They teach us a sort of mercy toward a world not living up to our expectations.

Recreational horror experiences give us a means of release, one that comes with a level of freedom that can be hard to come by otherwise. Scream at the top of your lungs in your neighborhood or apartment building and someone's going to call the police. But do it at a scary movie and you're among friends. 

Even if the creators of the disco-inspired "Here Lies Love" seem allergic to the Catholicism at the heart of the story of Imelda Marcos and the Philippines, they're unable to fully suppress the traces of that reality.