Crew films at churches across U.S., including stops in Michigan

Detroit — “There’s something good going on here, and that’s what I want to expose,” said Alex Begin, executive producer and host of “Extraordinary Faith,” a new Catholic TV series highlighting Catholicism’s many traditions.

“Catholics need to be motivated to live their faith better,” he added. “Our faith is a multi-sensory experience. Our faith is nurtured by what we see and experience.”

Begin, a native Detroiter, co-created the idea for “Extraordinary Faith” with journalist Mary O’Regan, who writes for England’s Catholic Herald newspaper.

“She and I came up with the idea that it is high time for there to be a TV program that showcases the beauty of traditional Catholic art, music and architecture, especially in the liturgy,” Begin told The Michigan Catholic.

Though O’Regan later had to step out of the program due to the distance, the two worked together to hire a professional film crew from Los Angeles to film numerous North American locations. The crew is now led by Los Angeles-based producer and director James Brooke.

Begin said there is a “demand out there” for sacred tradition, though “most people don’t know a lot about it … It’s part of our faith; it’s something people should be aware of.”



The crew has already traveled to a number of states, including California to explore San Juan Capistrano, one of the state’s oldest Catholic missions, and Massachusetts to meet the Boys’ Choir School at St. Paul Parish in Cambridge.

But during the week of June 22-25, “Extraordinary Faith” returned to Begin’s familiar territory as they filmed in and around southeast Michigan.

Their stops included Holy Redeemer Parish, Detroit; Our Lady of the Scapular Parish, Wyandotte; Old St. Mary’s Parish, Greektown; St. Hyacinth Parish, Detroit; St. Florian Parish, Hamtramck; and St. Albertus Church, Detroit.

“It ended up being churches that were architecturally significant, and with one exception, all of them host the Latin Mass at least occasionally,” said Begin. He said the four-day shoot went smoothly, and the crew was warmly welcomed by the churches, priests and laypeople they met.

Their stops also included Windsor, Ontario, where Gregorian chant instructor and performer Wassim Sarweh shared his thoughts on the music of the Church, as well as the Diocese of Lansing, where they interviewed Bishop Earl Boyea.

Several Archdiocese of Detroit priests, such as Fr. Mark Borkowski from Our Lady of the Scapular and Fr. Lee Acervo from St. Edward on-the-Lake in Lakeport, were featured in the local filming.

Fr. Borkowski’s segment in the series will touch on different aspects of the extraordinary form liturgy, including the components to vestments worn by an extraordinary form celebrant.

Being a part of the project “definitely broadened and enriched my own spirituality as a priest,” Fr. Borkowski said.

Fr. Acervo agreed, adding that “I’ve always had a love for the liturgy,” and explained that his conversation in the series will touch on the different parts of the Latin Mass, showing the aspects that are similar to the Novus Ordo, or the ordinary form.

“In whatever form of the Mass you attend, it is important to see the beauty because that can really serve to inspire one’s faith,” he said.

 

‘Extraordinary Faith’

The series debuted on EWTN on April 14, and a 30-minute episode is aired each month. A month after the EWTN airing, each episode is available online at www.extraordinaryfaith.tv. Episodes featuring Metro Detroit are currently set to air in spring 2015; visit the site to remain up-to-date.

Follow the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ExtraordinaryFaith.

 

Latin Mass celebrant training

Team members of “Extraordinary Faith” offer free training in celebrating the Extraordinary Form (Latin) Mass. The course is conducted in one or two days according to the trainee’s schedule, and training is provided anywhere in North America. Call (248) 952-8190 or email [email protected].