Pursuing a path to become a priest or nun isn’t exactly a hip thing nowadays. After all, a religious vocation requires many sacrifices in an age characterized by indulgence. And lets not forget about celibacy.

The Calling transports viewers to distant lands and into deep regions of the human soul. It's a film about hard choices and having the courage and faith to make them. Shot over a four year period, we present candid cinema-verite portraits of three people who are members of a new Catholic religious community - The Family of Jesus: Healer - as they embrace the blessings and the uncertainties of their calling in a quest to discover: Who am I? 

Over the course of the film we follow Orlando Castillo, a young man from a prosperous Tampa family who wishes “to live simply” and become a priest, despite his parents reservations. We deal with Mother Mary-Elizabeth’s sense of loss and doubt, as she must choose between her religious call and the emotional needs of her biological children. And we witness how Fr. Philip Scott – the community's founder - faces the personal and logistical challenges of moving his fledgling mission from the United States to his native country - Peru.

Peru is not a safe place to practice mercy. Over 50% of the population lives below the poverty line, many in ramshakle shanty-towns that seem to melt into the distant dusty horizan. These vast conglomerations typically lack clean water, adequate sanitation, and legal protections. Twenty-five percent of children under five in these areas are considered malnourished and susceptible to debilitating and deadly diseases. Armed only with the power of their convictions, our protagonists venture into this desperate and uncertain landscape determined to make a difference. And through their actions create something that rarely sprouts in these dark corners of the world: Hope.

The Calling is a story that has played out for Centuries. This deeply personal journey into religious life is not always an easy road to traverse. What transpires is a moving account of people pursuing a passion, as they cope with the unknown feelings that arise during this tangled and tender process. All the while, striving to find the balance between their faith and families. The film will challenge veiwers to question their relationships, temporal and spiritual, as they witness individuals grappling with the internal struggle between reason and religious belief.  

"The Calling reveals touching portraits of a mother, a son, and a priest, experiencing the breadth of emotion in self-discovery and sacrement as they try to honor their very human relationships." Ellyne Lonergan - VP Programming and Production WEDU (PBS)