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Millions

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Source: Catholic News Service

Disarming fable about 7-year-old Damian (Alex Etel), enthralled by the lives of the saints, who finds a stash of stolen money and, believing it is from God, tries to do good with it by giving it to the poor with the help of 9-year-old brother Anthony (Lewis McGibbon), all the while keeping it a secret from their widowed father (James Nesbitt), and being hounded by the criminal (Christopher Fulford) who stole the money in the first place. Danny ("Trainspotting") Boyle's quirky little charmer features good performances all around, especially by the adorable Etel, delightful vignettes with the saints, and dramatizes its themes of the corrupting influence of money, faith in people's basic decency, and the need for societal philanthropy, without being heavy-handed, making this ideal entertainment for older adolescents and up. A couple of mildly crude expressions, some intense episodes of menace, a momentary sexual situation, religious stereotyping, slight irreverence, and a brief scene where the brothers look, with boyish curiosity, at a Web site for women's bras on a computer. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

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Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions: Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, S.J., Cristóbal and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, schools and seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a clandestine seminary at Totatiche, Jalisco. Magallanes and the other priests were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-28).
<p>All of these martyrs except three were diocesan priests. David, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest, Luis Batis. All of these martyrs belonged to the Cristero movement, pledging their allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established to spread the Good News in society—even if Mexico's leaders once made it a crime to receive Baptism or celebrate the Mass. </p><p>These martyrs did not die as a single group but in eight Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.</p>

The most meaningful goals in life are those that can be accomplished with the help of God's graces. We should use those graces to give us confidence that, with God's guidance and help, our gifts are capable of being developed well beyond our imagined potential.

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