Hollywood Jesuits

[David Morris]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/movies/04jesuits.html

“The Borgia Popes” is, in fact, just one of the projects under way by
Loyola Productions, a nonprofit production company in Culver City,
Calif., owned by members of the Society of Jesus, a large Roman
Catholic order of priests and brothers. Jesuits are a missionary order
whose members, in this case at least, would rather not be thought of
as proselytizers.

“When I have meetings around town, you can see that people are
thinking, ‘Oh my God, they’re trying to convert us,’ ” said the Rev.
Eddie Siebert, the company’s founder and president. “It’s very
frustrating. I try not to say who I am till they get to know me. I
don’t even introduce myself as a Jesuit priest. It tends to really
frighten people.”

But only if they know what a Jesuit is. “In fact, most people don’t
know,” Father Siebert said. “ ‘Oh, you’re Jewish?’ No, no, Jesuit. ‘Is
that Catholic?’ Some people would say so.”