‘Trinity’s Triumph’

OAK RIDGE  Director Michael J. Wickham gives 150 “extras” of a fictitious congregation, dressed in their Sunday best, instructions about how to make the Sign of the Cross, before shooting an Ordination Mass scene for a movie in St. Cecilia Church in Englewood. Then, he takes his perch behind a camera and yells “Action!” to start the scene, which shows the congregation clapping, as a procession, which includes a few actors playing newly ordained priests, exits the church, bathed in plumes of incense.

The ordination scene will appear in an upcoming independent film, “Trinity’s Triumph,” which finds Wickham, raised in St. Thomas the Apostle Parish here, making his directorial debut —telling a coming-of-age story of three young men in seminary and their struggles in discerning their vocations. The script, which he co-wrote, tells a fictional story but it also pulls back the stained-glass curtain on the real-life challenges of seminarians and priests today. Wickham, 36, shot the film in various locations in New York and in the Newark Archdiocese in New Jersey over 15 days in June. Now, the movie is being edited for release next year, he said.

“This is a pro-Catholic, pro-priest film. I have friends who are priests. We wanted to show people how normal seminarians and priests are. These three guys are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives and stick to that,” said Wickham. He co-wrote the script with Father Stephen Fichter, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Wyckoff in the Newark Archdiocese, who drafted the first version of the story about 20 years ago, and Kathleen Carson, an actress and writer. “I think even non-believers will be able to appreciate ‘Trinity’s Triumph,’ ” Wickham said.

Now living in Los Angeles, Wickham called on his Catholic upbringing and continued devotion to tell the story of “Trinity’s Triumph,” which follows the faith journeys of a diverse trio of young men studying at the fictitious Holy Trinity Seminary — Joe Finerty, a Caucasian; Tom Kim, an Asian; and Mike Martinez, a Hispanic. They lean on each other and their faith as they navigate their vocations. Some of them are forced to deal with real-world struggles, such as grappling with having suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a priest and figuring out whether they are called to marriage — not to the priesthood. But ultimately, the film shows that seminarians and priests still “bring life to the Church,” said Wickham, who worships in a Catholic parish in Hollywood.

“This movie shows the three different paths that the three young men go down in life. They make different decisions and deal with different conflicts. Their lives twist in ways that they don’t see coming,” Wickham said.

Providing wise counsel to the three seminarians is their mentor, Msgr. Heck, played by actor Joe Morton, who appeared in “Terminator 2.” Morton was among the nine principal actors and about 30 others that Wickham directed, along with many extras, including a few actual priests, notably Auxiliary Bishop John Flesey of the Newark Archdiocese, who appears “officiating” the ordination. Wickham also led this collaborative effort with a sizable production crew, he said.

While helping to re-write “Trinity’s Triumph” a few months earlier, Wickham leaned on knowledge of his Catholic faith, passed down from his parents Joe and Debbie, both Third Order Franciscans. Debbie also serves as religious education director at St. Thomas and St. John Vianney Parish in Stockholm and as chairperson of the diocesan Committee on Catholic Boy Scouting. As a child, he was an altar server and helped with Confirmation retreats at St. Thomas and, in 2002, he became a fourth-generation member of the Knights of Columbus in his family. Later, he became friends with Franciscan priests at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics in 2005, he said.

“The Friars imprinted their Christian ideals on me,” said Wickham, who was asked to direct the movie — his first feature — by the production company, Tucci & Co., after helping tweak the script. He said that he made the story more “dramatic and cinematic” and more feasible to make under its $1 million budget. Wickham drew on his experience in the movie industry, where he has produced films, shorts, web series and commercial videos; directed shorts; and written feature screenplays. He started his career as a news videographer and editor in New York State, earning him a local Emmy Award.

On set as an extra at St. Cecilia’s that day, Father Fichter, a first-time scriptwriter, called Wickham “a wonderful young man, who was fun to work with. He is faithful and, in the movie, describes our Catholic culture well. He poured his soul into this film.”

“I wanted to inspire young people to become priests by humanizing the priesthood — making a positive movie but not shying away from difficult topics. It also tells the story of enduring friendships among the young men,” said Father Fichter, who was ordained to the priesthood in 2000.

Throughout the shooting schedule for “Trinity’s Triumph,” several St. Thomas parishioners appeared as extras, including Joseph Carolan, a retired attorney, who also played a priest in some scenes.

“Michael is an excellent director. He asserted his authority but in a friendly way,” said Carolan, who previously had appeared as an extra in student films.

Another extra from St. Thomas was a proud Debbie Wickham, who sat in the front of St. Cecilia’s in the ordination scene. She also visited Michael, her only child, on set at various other filming locations.

“I’m so happy that Michael shared this amazing experience with me. I’m so proud of him. He is doing what he’s always wanted to do: write and direct movies. He is perfect for this movie, because he’s Catholic and knows the Church,” said Debbie Wickham, who noted that her son also commanded the respect of the cast and crew during filming. The story told in “Trinity’s Triumph,” she said, reflects the experiences of many of the priests and seminarians she has known over the years. “It’s real life — what people go through in making choices. People need to see that struggle.”