Let's keep rolling in our journey through the lives of some "special" Christian people, some Italians who have responded 100% to The Call. As anticipated in the introduction to Part one, for their work in the world, Christians always identify themselves and act as sons and daughters of God the Father, who generates them in spiritual life (through Baptism). Consequently, their works (from charity to every kind of work) lead them to see the other person (the neighbor) as a child of God themselves; that's how they get to the Truth and the essence of what is Christianity (and holiness and serving God not as servants but as sons). A drama on Faith accomplishes its goal if it walks the audience to this reflection. Instead, when it leaves us tied to this worldly humanity, it lacks to tell who is the Baptized person, the Christian, and what a man is called to be, that man is made in the image and resemblance of God. So, only God can communicate to them the pure truth and reality of their being and life. 

Chiara Lubich

"They may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us"

From the Gospel of John (17,21)

… (pt.2) Jesus prays like this in Gethsemane. Chiara takes it as a mission to build a "united" world, so the "Focolare" movement aims to spread the Gospel over and within all the fields of society (education, politics, science, knowledge, work etc.). This makes the point that holiness is not just for "consecrated" and religious people, but it's a call for anyone in their own specific state of life.

A scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq5Zezt0bGI

Fr. Pietro Pappagallo

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

From the Gospel of Matthew (10,28)

He houses people wanted during the 2^nd world war; the Fascists shot him in the Ardeatine massacre of Rome. He could rebel against the arrest, but he follows in the footsteps of Christ, who let his killers bring him to the place of his death. Fr. Pappagallo chooses to remain in Him and imitates Him, understanding that as the way to love the Father 'till the end, along with brothers and sisters.

The scene of the capture and deportation tells the heart of all his love for Jesus and his people. Hollowing the ones who go with him is the most important thing to do when approaching death. This gesture witnesses his consideration about the core of his mission: being a shepherd- with Christ, "the good Shepherd".

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEmg1zlhOgI

A scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSIXpuYKVkM

Actor, Flavio Insinna (other remarkable interpretations: A. Fabrizi)

Fr. Lorenzo Milani

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

From the Letter of St. James apostle (1,17-18)

Although he's a controversial Catholic figure, the TV drama is compelling. We don't intend to sift through the criticalities of his life; you can easily browse and read these pieces of information, forming your idea of the matter. Here we wish to inject what's good from his life, and everything good links to the Good and the Love God brings us. In Barbiana, a little mountainous village in Tuscany, fr. Milani established a school and educated young people (poor farmers). His way of educating&teaching opposes the "upper and middle-class" school (just a theoretical viewpoint on reality): you can see it in the book "Letter to a teacher", written along with all the pupils of the School in Barbiana.

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7KyQ7_exOY

A scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-0JYzEP0zY/

Actor, Sergio Castellitto

St. Filippo Neri

"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!"

Psalm 133,1

The verse above comes from a so-called "Psalm of ascension"; when St. Filippo prayed, he levitated. This phenomenon helps us understand that the vocation's gist is not "serving the poor, youth and children" per se. In Rome, St. Filippo is the founder of the Oratory, and like Fr. Bosco afterwards, he sees Jesus as the alfa and the omega to everything, so he is not just pushed by a sense of social service: the core stays, and it's meeting Jesus. This event has to happen every time at the level of one's person first: St. Filippo lives long moments of prayer, such deep ones that made him ascend and levitate; the profound relationship with Jesus allows him to overcome physical laws. Only from there the service to the neighbor and "the little ones of the Kingdom" is born, along with the desire to make people know Jesus as the alive person He is.

Sidenote: St. Filippo is also famous for the songs he invents for children to learn by singing and playing.

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-x4AIyQA8c

A scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq5QL-XrXFc

Actor, Gigi Proietti (other remarkable interpretations: Johnny Dorelli)

St. Pio from Petrelcina

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

From the Letter of St. Paul to Galatians (2,20)

The TV drama highlights a life full of spiritual and human richness and extraordinary episodes of Grace. Still, everything is rooted in a strict relationship with Christ. From the stigmata to the fight with Satan,  Fr. Pio testimonies communion with Jesus, the reason for life herself. It's a relation that each of us is called to incarnate, according to each one's peculiar way and personality. St. Pio conveys that this status has to involve the whole existence, and thence, all the rest generates (as we've seen with other saints, too). Founding the Hospital ("The house of the relief of suffering") derives from his charity work towards souls: St. Pio dedicates many daily hours to confessing people. Everything begins from Christ's charity: Fr. Pio takes his love for the souls from the communion of his loving heart towards Jesus, by the prayer always nourishing him and connecting him with the Father united to the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H19wIIt0PtM&t=3s

A scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H19wIIt0PtM

Actor, Michele Placido (other remarkable interpretations: S. Castellitto)

Here's a link to a list of some TV dramas related to the topic of this article.