N 2 1 the spiritual exchange between these two men of faith amid a bat- tlefield of horror and features his- torical context about their meeting provided by several experts affili- ated with St. Bonaventure. ian relations, was produced by Unity Productions Foundation. Muslim conflict known as the Crusades, Saint Francis of Assisi risked his life by walking across enemy lines to meet the Sultan of Egypt, the Muslim ruler Al-Malik al-Kamil. This remarkable encounter, and the commit- ment to peace of the two men behind it, presented an alternative to the persistent call for war. torians, art experts, religious thinkers and brain scientists. Michael Calabria, O.F.M., director of St. Bonaventure's Center for Arab and Islamic Studies; Fr. Michael Cusato, O.F.M., distin- guished professor of Franciscan studies at the university; and Sr. Kathy Warren, O.S.F., a 2002 Franciscan studies graduate. In addition, alumnus Patrick Opitz, '01, an IMDb-credited actor, had a small role as an extra in the film. to have been part of this film, and look for- ward to bringing it to St. Bonaventure soon. This encounter that occurred nearly 800 years ago continues to have tremendous rel- evance in the contemporary world. I was genuinely touched and inspired by the film and believe that many others will be as well." mentor, the late Dr. Stephan Gray-Lewis, a longtime faculty member, through his film and stage work, including his role in "The Sultan and the Saint." important to participate in some capacity because of the opportunity to use my skills in a way that would reflect on my experi- in Franciscan spirituality," said Opitz. gious violence. His commitment to a respectful dialogue with people of dif- ferent faiths, and the ability to see others as people first, not enemies, is an inspiration to my own commitment to interfaith dialogue," added Opitz. producing his own film next year. Since graduating from St. Bonaven- ture, Opitz has worked in the govern- Washington, D.C., area. in the field today, is former director of the Franciscan Institute and dean of the School of Franciscan Studies. In addition to a doc- torate in medieval church history, he holds a master's degree in Franciscan studies from SBU and has authored numerous publica- tions on the Franciscan movement, and Francis' meeting with the Sultan. in interreligious dialogue. She is the author of "Daring to Cross the Threshold: Francis of Assisi Encounters Sultan Malek-al-Kamil" and is co-producer of the two-part DVD "In the Footprints of Francis and the Sultan: A Model for Peacemaking" in which Fr. Cusato and Fr. Calabria also appear. advisers. |