'Cinema Verbi' live: Podcast hosts review 'It's a Wonderful Life' in special screening

Movie night features classic film and first live recording of podcast hosted by Fr. Matthew Hood and Fr. Brian Meldrum

DETROIT — Christmas sweaters, festive decorations, and homemade Christmas cookies set the tone for a special evening Dec. 20 at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Guests of all ages enjoyed “Movie Night with Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry (DCCM),” watching the classic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life" and participating in a live recording of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s own “Cinema Verbi” podcast.

The spirited evening was the brainchild of Kyle Skoumal, advancement officer for Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry, and Fr. Matthew Hood, chaplain for the Catholic campus ministry that serves Wayne State University, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the College for Creative Studies and Henry Ford Community College.

“The main motive was to get to know people,” Skoumal said. “Every time we share what we do in campus ministry and the impact it’s having on college students, people get so excited. So we thought, why not do something really joyful? Let’s invite people to come and enjoy some good food and a Christmas movie, and to be part of a live recording, which is something different and fun.”

Fr. Hood co-hosts the "Cinema Verbi" podcast, which focuses of faith and filmmaking, along with Fr. Brian Meldrum, assistant professor of theology and director of liturgy at Sacred Heart. The podcast, which launched last year, draws its name from the words of St. Justin the Martyr, Semina Verbi, meaning “seeds of the word." Each episode reviews a film with the goal of “finding the seeds of God’s word in the movies you love,” per the show’s tagline.

“Since beginning 'Cinema Verbi,' we have heard feedback from people here and there, but we haven't had the opportunity to meet our listeners face to face,” Fr. Hood told Detroit Catholic before the event. “This is our first live show, so it will be great to be with our supporters in person. I’m also excited for the opportunity to speak about DCCM and the work that we are doing to evangelize college students on campus.”

Fr. Hood and Fr. Meldrum chose “It’s a Wonderful Life” because of the film's classic themes of friendship, love and togetherness during the Christmas season. Last month, Pope Leo XIV named the 1946 film as one of his top four favorite movies.

“The movie challenges each of us to consider how our lives are a gift meant to be given to others and the importance of friendship,” Fr. Hood said. “It’s a great way to enter into the Christmas season where we celebrate how Christ has given himself completely to us.”

After enjoying fellowship, food and a hot chocolate bar in a gathering space at Sacred Heart, guests moved to the seminary’s newly renovated auditorium, where Fr. Hood and Fr. Meldrum recorded their podcast on stage in two segments, before and after the film was shown.

The evening was sponsored by the TriGriffin Group, the construction management firm responsible for the auditorium’s renovation.

The evening also was an opportunity for college students to share their experiences with Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry. During intermission, Wayne State University senior Idalia Shadhaya spoke about the support she's found in the ministry.

Shadhaya, who began attending DCCM events as a freshman, looks forward to weekly Bible studies and “Sunday suppers,” free dinners for students following Sunday evening Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Detroit.

“The main thing that drew me in was the community aspect. You can’t grow in your faith alone. It’s better to have people along on that journey with you,” Shadhaya said. “I have an amazing foundation of faith here that I can take into my life after college.”

When the movie ended, Fr. Hood and Fr. Meldrum recorded the second half of their podcast, discussing the themes of hope and wonder in the film. Before ending the recording, they challenged four audience members to a round of trivia on stage.

The episode wrapped with audience applause and a deeper understanding of the Christmas classic. Attendees were treated to festively wrapped homemade Christmas cookies baked by a campus ministry supporter as they left the auditorium.

Laura Hickey, a parishioner and staff member at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, attended with her husband and three children, ages 9, 10 and 13.

"It's a Wonderful Life" is a lifelong favorite of Hickey’s mother — and father-in-law, who joined them for the event. The two youngest children had never seen the movie and were eager to be part of the family tradition for the first time.

“Any time we can help our kids see that the seminary is a real place with real people, we want to make that connection for them,” Hickey said. “We also love supporting campus ministry because it was part of our collegiate lives back in the day. For multiple reasons, this checks all the boxes as something we wanted to do.”

As Christmas approaches, Skoumal said the evening was a great chance to bring people together in the spirit of Christ's birth and to share the successes of Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry.

“I hear a lot of negative talk about young people leaving the Church. But we have a lot of hope at DCCM,” Skoumal said. “I come to work and I hear incredible stories about students having full-on conversions, and students finding friendship here. We have hope and joy here.”