Catholic Film Centre Should

Be Developed—SA YS THE
CARDINAL
Cardinal Griffin is anxious that a Catholic, Film Centre be developed as soon as possible to exploit the cinema as a weapon of the apostolate and the Catholic Film Society has been asked to undertake the work. This is the outcome of a meeting called by the Cardinal recently.
The Cardinal made it quite clear to the members of the Catholic Film Society that in England we need something mote positive and constructive in the way of film guidance than is the case in some
other countries. This, he felt sure, would be admirably done by the Catholic Film Society, for whose organ of publicity, the Catholic Flint News, he expressed
In pre-war days, the Catholic Film Society, founded mainly through the energies of Fr. Ferdinand Valentine, 0.P., was producing films on Catholic subjects and showing them in parochial halls, convents, schools and other larger halls throughout the country. Unfortunately, the war put an end to a venture that showed every promise of becoming a high-standard documentary production unit.
About a year ago a meeting of some of the members of the old Society together with priests of the Reviewing Panel of Catholic Film News met to discuss the possibilities of its revival. Abbot Upson, 0.S.B., of Prinknash, Chairman of the Provisional Committee, presented a Constitution to the Cardinal and ob tained his approval. Though the present activities of the Film Society are limited to reviewing films and giving lectures, the following aims and objects are envisaged by the Constitution :
To encourage the development of Catholic criticism of films with the object of influencing, as far as possible, the type of films publicly exhibited. To promote the organisation of discussion groups for the study of films. To establish a library
of films of Catholic interest. To organise a Summer School of Film. To establish, when and where possible, Repertory Cinemas where films of permanent Catholic interest may be shown. To produce entertainment and documentary films calculated to demonstrate the Christian cultural heritage of Europe as manifested in its arts, crafts, religious life, agriculture, architecture, etc.
The Cardinal has now seconded this mandate by senctioning the membership of the Catholic Film Society as a constituent part of the 0.C.I.C. (Office Catholique Inter national du Cinema). As a first step towards this, the Honorary Secretary of the Catholic Fi'm Society (The Rev. J. A. V. Burke) was commissioned to attend the Reunion of the Central Committee of 0.C.I.C. at Paris last week.
The address of the Secretary of the Catholic Film Society is Mayfield College, Mayfield, Tunbridge Wells.