When it became the official state religion of the Roman Empire and Byzantium, the priests of the Catholic Church became renowned for being scholarly and erudite. With formal schooling in seminaries required of candidates for ordination, only the most intelligent male students were likely to become priests. Somewhere along the way, the Church's hierarchy seemed to have forgotten that the Apostles were neither very bright nor well schooled. They were simple fishermen, farmers and petty bureaucrats (such as a tax collector).
So how can a mentally challenged young man who felt called to the religious life become a priest during the church's Tridentine period when its priestly hierarchy was dominated by Scholastics? Therein lies the tension and fun of this film.
Guiseppe Desa (I bet you didn't know his real family name) of the town of Cupertino finds favor with God because of his simple but intense devotion. Against all odds and opposition he becomes a priest. And against the vociferous objections of the character of Ricardo Montalban who chose to act as Devil's Advocate, the miracles attributed to the intercession of Fr. Guiseppe are acknowledged.
So how can a mentally challenged young man who felt called to the religious life become a priest during the church's Tridentine period when its priestly hierarchy was dominated by Scholastics? Therein lies the tension and fun of this film.
Guiseppe Desa (I bet you didn't know his real family name) of the town of Cupertino finds favor with God because of his simple but intense devotion. Against all odds and opposition he becomes a priest. And against the vociferous objections of the character of Ricardo Montalban who chose to act as Devil's Advocate, the miracles attributed to the intercession of Fr. Guiseppe are acknowledged.