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The feature film 'Trinity's Triumph' is a priest's narrative of sacrifice and joy: 'Human side' of it all
It has been said by great theologians — in one way or another — that to truly know yourself, you must first learn to know God.
The great Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said, “There is no self-understanding without God-understanding.”
God made us. He knows how everything fits together. And more importantly, He holds the key to our purpose in life. That is the underlying current of a new feature-length movie about three young seminarians, the closest of friends, as they set out on what the film says is “an extraordinary odyssey to answer the highest of calls.”
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In “Trinity’s Triumph,” two of the seminarians are composite characters — young men who represent the variations of personalities in seminary. But one is not.
Father Joe is the avatar of Father Stephen Fichter, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Wyckoff, New Jersey.
The film “Trinity’s Triumph” could be the first movie about priests actually written by a priest. (iStock)
He developed the story and wrote the screenplay based on his journey to his ordination.
The film could be the first movie about priests actually written by a priest.
Says Fichter, “I felt very strongly in my own vocation to the priesthood that God was calling more young people to serve him.”
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He said he wanted to “make a movie that would be attractive to the modern generation.”
“He said, ‘I see what you’re trying to do. I think it’s wonderful.’”
Film is certainly a good way to attract a younger generation, evidenced by the media attention given to the Catholic conversion of actor Shia LaBeouf.
But Fichter’s film was a 25-year journey that started while he was studying in Rome. He talked about the sojourn on a recent episode of “Lighthouse Faith” podcast.
Instead of one seminarian’s journey, Zeffirelli thought the film would make a better movie if told the story of three young men. (iStock)
“The original title was ‘Daring to Be Different,’ and it was the story of this one young man, and his journey … trying to respond to the call, trying to be generous to God and the sacrifice they had to make along the way.”
Along the journey, Fichter got some remarkable help. While in the eternal city, a friend of his was able to get the amateur screenplay in front of award-winning Italian director Franco Zeffirelli.
Fichter says, “I thought, you know, why not give it a try? Well, he loved it!”
Zeffirelli, said Fichter, “really thought I had a great idea. And he invited me to his villa on the outskirts of Rome, and we were there. It was a Sunday afternoon. And he was just absolutely delightful. He said, ‘I see what you’re trying to do. I think it’s wonderful.’”
Italian director Franco Zeffirelli is shown in 1970. He mentored Fichter and helped him shape his film “Trinity’s Triumph.” (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content)
Zeffirelli — who died in 2019 at age 96 — mentored Fichter and suggested a major change to the story.
Instead of one seminarian’s journey, he thought it would make a better movie if were about about three young men.
The next big-name contribution came while Fichter was serving as pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Haworth, New Jersey. A parishioner who wrote books asked him about a Scripture she was looking for to add to a story (this was before online search engines became the norm). He happily helped her.
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Turns out the parishioner was the bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark, the highest paid woman novelist.
Before her death in 2020, she wrote 51 books, each one a bestseller.
Said Fichter, “When I first met her, I had no idea who she was. She was at daily Mass during Lent … She was just another parishioner in the pews.”
Fichter was able to cross that hurdle of “Is this good enough?” and then had to deal with the difficulty of getting it produced.
Higgins Clark also helped shape the screenplay and gave it little more personality.
She and others also advised those working on it not to avoid the elephant in the room, which was the sexual abuse crisis burgeoning in Boston and what we now know as a worldwide issue.
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But Fichter was able to cross that hurdle of “Is this good enough?” and then had to deal with the difficulty of getting it produced.
He told “Lighthouse Faith,” “Once I felt like I had that affirmation and that approval and that support and encouragement from, you know, two really amazing storytellers in our world, I decided, How can I get this made?”
Hollywood is a strange animal. To get a good actor to play your lead, the potential artist usually wants to know who the director is. To get a good director, he or she wants to know who your lead actor is. To get financing, people want to know who the actor and director are.
As difficult as it was for Fichter to get his film made, he had friends who were willing to invest. (Joshua Comins/Fox News)
This merry-go-round can be endless.
Luckily, Fichter had friends who were willing to invest. It was low budget, just half a million dollars — hardly the catering bill for a blockbuster film.
Then, through more connections, he was able to snag A-list actor Joe Morton (“Speed,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) to play the lead character, Monsignor Heck, around whom the entire movie pretty much revolves.
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Heck is the veteran seminary professor who challenges each of his students to go beyond knowing about God and take the plunge to actually knowing God.
He challenges the seminarians in the exact area where they’re blind to their own weaknesses. One seminarian’s superior intellect and theological knowledge put him far above his other classmates. But his failings came as he ignored the longings of his heart, believing that knowledge about God would be a talisman against temptation. It was not.
It is Heck who must deal with the fallout of an abusive priest.
It is Heck who must deal with the fallout of an abusive priest.
It is Heck who must debate a young priest struggling to understand why the Catholic Church doesn’t allow them to marry and have children as in the Eastern rite or Orthodox churches permit.
“What we’re trying to show in the movie is the human side to the priesthood,” said Father Stephen Fichter of New Jersey. (iStock)
It is Heck who, in the end, makes the audience feel honor and respect toward the priesthood; something that Hollywood hasn’t done since the days when Bing Crosby played Father O’Malley in 1945’s “The Bells of St. Mary.”
Says Fichter, “What we’re trying to show in the movie is the human side to the priesthood. Yes, it’s a calling from God. And it’s something that the church discerns as a community and then the individual discerns … and we try to show those sacrifices of not having a wife and a family and, you know, some of that loneliness that sets in.”
Each found that God’s grace, truth and mercy would always be their strength.
To know God is experiential. Sometimes it’s the weeping in the night, the falling to the knees from the weight of life’s struggles.
It is coming to the end of your human strength and only then knowing the only real thing you have in this life is the God who created you.
A priest is taught this. A good priest knows it and lives it out daily.
At the end of “Trinity’s Triumph,” each seminarian is on a different path. One drops out before being ordained. One leaves after taking his vows. And only one, Father Joe (Fichter), is a priest.
But all triumphed, though, because in their pursuit of this “highest of callings,” each found that God’s grace, truth and mercy would always be their strength.
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“In moments of challenge and in moments of conflict, it does feel easier to put your head down,” Wu said at an event at the Old State House commemorating Attucks.
“Remembering the full history pushes us to be the beacon of freedom that the rest of the country and the rest of the world so very much needs.”
Inside the Old State House’s council chambers, city leaders, historians, and students gathered to celebrate Attucks’ legacy. They talked about the importance of memorializing him during a time when many present said the contributions of people of color to American history were being erased by the Trump administration, and the country’s founding principles were under attack.
Senator Lydia Edwards said the death of Attucks and the four others killed during the Boston Massacre helped establish important legal principles that still guide the country today.
Following the killings, British soldiers involved in the incident were put on trial. John Adams, who later became president, agreed to defend them in court, arguing that the rule of law must be upheld even during times of intense conflict.
“Even in these moments of strife, oppression of rogue federal government, that we remember that we stood up and still held to our court system, to the rule of law and to due process,” Edwards said. “We also remember who had to die in order to remind ourselves to do that.”
City Councilor Brian Worrell said Attucks was a symbol of the long struggle for equality in the country.
“It’s a story that is a reminder that Black and Indigenous Americans have always been at the forefront [of] the fight for justice,” Worrell said.
He said when he recounts Boston’s Black history, he almost always starts with Attucks’ story.
“He fought not simply against the tea tax or the Stamp Act, he fought for the most basic of rights. He fought for equal human lives. It’s a fight we as a city are still having,” he said.
Wu spoke about how on March 5, 2025, she was called to testify before Congress about Boston’s immigration policies during a six-hour hearing. She touted Boston’s safety record amid aggressive questioning, arguing that the city’s immigration policies improved public safety.
“On the 255th anniversary of the Boston Massacre, on Crispus Attucks Day, there was no way that this city wasn’t going to be represented in standing up for what’s right,” Wu said.
A chandelier lit the council chamber and red curtains covered its historic windows. On both sides of the room, students sat with their teachers. Winners of the Crispus Attucks Essay Contest, which invites local students to explore Attucks’ legacy, sat next to the podium.
“Sometimes history repeats itself,” said Toni Martin, an attendee at the event, who came to support her niece, who was being awarded. “Sometimes it gets better, but it takes revolutionary people to make change perfect.”
Outside of the State House after the commemoration, Sharahn Pullum, 18, who came in second for the essay contest, said, “My inspiration was just getting the opportunity to speak on something that matters.”
Michael Kelly, 65, joined the wreath-laying ceremony that took place at the Boston Massacre Commemorative Plaza. Kelly held a sign that said, “Ice Out Be Goode,” referring to Renee Good, a US citizen who was shot and killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Kelly said he had been standing at the plaza for three hours and is planning to stand there the entire day.
“People can stretch their imaginations to understand that this place, what happened here, is not at all different than what happened in Minneapolis,” Kelly said with tears in his eyes. “People standing up for something they believe in is vastly important, and we can’t be daunted.”
Aayushi Datta can be reached at aayushi.datta@globe.com.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a strong showing so far in the Grapefruit League, but suffered a surprising defeat.
The Pirates lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., taking just their third defeat in Spring Training so far, dropping to 9-3 in the Grapefruit League.
Pittsburgh saw their five-game winning streak come to an end, but they are still level with the New York Yankees at the top of the Grapefruit League standings.
This game also came after the first off day for the Pirates on March 4 and a 7-1 win over Team Colombia in an exhibition at LECOM Park on March 3.
How the Pirates Fell to the Cardinals
Pirates right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller made his third start in the Grapefruit League and threw three scoreless innings, before giving up a solo home run to Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman on a slider down in the zone, putting the road team up 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning.
That represented the first run that Keller gave up all Spring Training and Pirates left-handed relief pitcher Derek Diamond came in for him after he gave up a single to Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker.
Keller has just a 1.23 ERA over 7.1 innings for the Pirates in the Grapefruit League, a good start for the veteran on the starting rotation.
St. Louis loaded the bases against Pirates left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk in the top of the fifth inning with three walks, but Sisk struckout top prospect in shortstop JJ Wetherholt and forced Gorman into a double play to keep it a one-run game.
Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Chris Devenski gave up a run in the top of the sixth inning, as he walked second baseman Ramón Urías, who stole second base, then gave up a single to catcher Pedro Pagés, doubling the Cardinals’ lead at 2-0.
The Pirates tied the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, as shortstop Alika Williams hit a two-run home run off of Cardinals left-handed pitcher Quinn Mathews.
Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Cam Sanders gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning, hitting leadoff batter Joshua Baez with a pitch and then giving up a single to pinch-hitter Jimmy Crooks to make it 3-2.
Right fielder Ryan O’Hearn had a strong showing for the Pirates in the loss to the Cardinals with two hits in two at-bats. He is now slashing .462/.563/.769 for an OPS of 1.332 in six Grapefruit League games.
Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia had a hit off the bench for the Pirates, as he is now slashing .533/.611/.733 for an OPS of 1.344 in seven games.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!
When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.
Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.
That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.
Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.
FAST FACTS:
Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors
Location: Darien, Connecticut
The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.
LIVING ROOM
Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.
The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.
Sconce: Woven Shop. Lamp: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: custom.
Table: custom, Becca Interiors. Chairs: Pottery Barn.
A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.
DEN
An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.
Pendant: Woka. Coffee table: LF Collection. Sconce: Hector Finch.
Coffee table: LF Collection. Rug: Woodard Weave. Chik blinds: Joss Graham.
Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.
DINING ROOM
The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.
Paint: School House White, Farrow & Ball. Chairs: Maison Louis Drucker. Table: antique. Tablecloths: Zara Home, Cabana Home. Pedants: Lightology.
Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.
Paint: Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: The Company Store. Dresser: English Farmhouse Furniture.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.
PRIMARY BATH
Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.
Mirror: Rejuvenation. Floor tile: Arto. Wall paint: Slipper Statin, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: O’lampia.
In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.
WORKSTATION
Smart features make family management a cinch.
Roman shade: Hunter Douglas. Desk paint: Studio Green, Farrow & Ball. Chair: Soho Home. Rug: Merribrook Collection. Flushmount: RW Guild.
To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.
About the Designer
Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.
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