Hitchcock’s I Confess and the world’s failure to understand priesthood
By Thomas Mirus and James Majewski ( bio - articles - email ) | Jun 17, 2025 | In Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast
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In Alfred Hitchcock’s 1953 film I Confess, a young priest in Quebec City is suspected of murder because of his unwillingness to break the seal of confession. A major theme of the film is the incomprehension with which the world sees the priesthood, such that people project their own sins onto the priest, resulting in a kind of white martyrdom.
Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission.
Criteria is hosted by Thomas V. Mirus and James T. Majewski.
Thomas is President of Trinity Communications, Director of Podcasts for CatholicCulture.org and hosts the Catholic Culture Podcast. See full bio.
James is Vice President of Trinity Communications and Director of Customer Relations for CatholicCulture.org as well as the host and narrator for Catholic Culture Audiobooks. See full bio.
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Posted by: Thomas V. Mirus -
Jun. 20, 2025 5:16 PM ET USA
Thanks for your kind comment, Fr. John!
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Posted by: Fr. John -
Jun. 20, 2025 4:00 PM ET USA
Thank you both for helping me understand one of my favorite films more, and also to have a new appreciation for the priesthood in the midst of our fallen world. I have been a priest for 15 years, and your explanation of the juxtaposition of Keller and Fr. Logan gave me an unexpected shot in the arm. It's true, as your title says, that the world fails to understand the priesthood. At the same time though, I have to admit, I can even take this mysterious gift for granted. Appreciate your insights!
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jun. 17, 2025 2:06 PM ET USA
A great film that I would show my students re the priesthood and the seal of confessional It's a testimony Catholic Quebec and Quebec city that used to be. Hitchcock based this film on a play in French "Nos Deux Consciences" by Paul Anthelme. It's in English as "Our Two Consciences" a drama in five acts. The film is similar to the play except for the ending which more dramatic. It's available in French as a pdf file. The great saint of the seal of the confessional is St. John Nepomucene.
