Lord

By revisiting the life of my uncle, a Catholic priest, I imagined a narrative that questions faith, religion, and the powers conferred upon them.

This project began as an investigation, based on a diary found among the personal belongings of this defunct uncle. Written in 1958, at a time when he was pursuing his education at the seminary, this notebook opens with a prayer: “Lord, thank you for giving me a friend.” I found the friend to whom the notebook was addressed. Before he too passed away, he confided in me about this lifelong friendship. Then I read my uncle’s notebook again, and again. I listened to the silences of this young man on the verge of becoming a priest, confessing his difficulties in praying. Yet the mystery remained.

Archival documents blend with the reminiscence of Catholic education to create a narrative between documentary and fiction. Beyond the story, Lord also offers a critique of the power of the Catholic institution and its enduring hold over bodies and imaginations.