REVIEW
OF NEW RELEASE
BLESSED ALEXANDRINA DVD BY MARY'S DOWRY PRODUCTIONS
The
first English language DVD on the life and mission of Blessed
Alexandrina Maria da Costa, has just been
released
in England by the Catholic film company Mary's Dowry Productions.
Two sisters, Bernadette and Emily Bevans, founded and run this
company, and do almost everything themselves in the production and
filming of the DVD's, even composing and playing the music for the
soundtracks. Most of their DVD's to date have been about the lives
of English saints and martyrs, but both sisters have had a devotion
to Blessed Alexandrina of Portugal for some years, and so have been
very pleased to make this film of her life and mission.
The
DVD continues the unique style that has been developed by the Bevans
sisters, using actors and sets to portray the characters and
scenes. The set designed by the sisters for this DVD is very much
like Blessed Alexandrina's room. The action scenes are interspersed
with photographs taken at Balasar, and the DVD has mostly been shot
in black and white, with colour sequences at the end, which adds to
the atmosphere, bringing to mind the many old black and white photos
taken of Blessed Alexandrina in her home, and the video footage of
her undergoing Christ's passion. The film also features shots of
flowers and the beauty of the countryside – things which were very
close to Blessed Alexandrina's heart.
The
narration is very clear in the DVD and the main events of the life
and mission of Blessed Alexandrina are all covered. The DVD starts
with a brief description of her birth and childhood, linking this
with the Miraculous Holy Cross of Balasar, which appeared in 1832.
Pictures of the Holy Cross and Blessed Alexandrina's home are
skilfully interwoven with the acting scenes. The scene of the
attack on Blessed Alexandrina and her companions is well executed
and very moving. After the attack, the film then turns to the
events of Blessed Alexandrina's life after her complete paralysis.
A
recurring theme of the DVD is Blessed Alexandrina's devotion to
Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in all the tabernacles of the world, and
her recognition that she had become a prisoner in her bed, just as
Jesus has become a Divine Prisoner in the tabernacles for love of
us. Instead of asking to be cured, she accepted Our Lord's
invitation to become a 'victim soul', offering her sufferings to
make reparation for the sins of mankind. The film mentions some of
the appearances of Our Lord and Our Lady to Blessed Alexandrina, and
also some of the attacks that Satan made on her.
Blessed Alexandrina's connections to the events of Fatima come
across very well in the film, which mentions Sister Lucia of
Fatima's links with Alexandrina, and especially the pleas of
Alexandrina to 'pray the Rosary, make the First Saturdays, and
consecrate yourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the
Brown Scapular' highlighting the Marian nature of Blessed
Alexandrina's apostolate.
The
DVD also mentions Our Lord's request to Blessed Alexandrina to
undergo His Passion every Friday in reparation for the sins of the
world, so that the Pope would consecrate the world to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary, an act which in turn would shorten World War II. The
Passion scenes in the DVD are very reminiscent of the original
footage of Blessed Alexandrina undergoing the Passion of Christ.
The consecration was eventually accomplished through the prayers and
sufferings of Blessed Alexandrina. Although the consecration was
made, Blessed Alexandrina's mission certainly hadn't come to an end,
as Our Lord told her that he wanted her to live on the Holy
Eucharist alone - again highlighting the Christocentric and
Eucharistic nature of these events. The acting scenes are often
interspersed with pictures of various tabernacles, which help to
bring this point home. The story of Alexandrina should be an
impetus to the reception of Holy Communion and Eucharistic
Adoration, and the DVD stresses this point.
The
film also highlights Alexandrina's connections with the Salesians
and that she specifically prayed for young people. The horror of
sin and the terrible suffering that Alexandrina underwent because of
the sins of others is also brought home to us in this DVD. The film
ends by showing the death of Alexandrina, and the Bevans sisters
have lovingly recreated the famous photograph of Blessed Alexandrina
after her death, surrounded by flowers and white gauze material.
The final images of the DVD are some colour shots of Alexandrina's
tomb and the parish church in Balasar, including a picture of the
newly renovated tomb.
This
DVD is a much welcome resource to introduce others to the life and
mission of Blessed Alexandrina. The Bevans sisters have done a
great job and it should come as no surprise that they won the
2010 Catholic Women of the Year award,
which was started 'to pay tribute to Catholic women who give
outstanding service to the Church'. This is a well-deserved
accolade for them and their work.
The
DVD is available, price £9.99 (approx €11.22 euros) from:-
Mary's Dowry Productions
P.O.
Box 4513
Worthing
West
Sussex
BN13
3WT
England
Telephone: 01903 249214 OR 079 0644 6078
On-line sales
Also
further information can be found on the
Mary's Dowry Productions blog
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