The new movie “Last Ounce of Courage” is a statement calling on people to “stand up for their rights and defend their religious freedom,” says a young Catholic actor with a large role in the film. Hunter Gomez, a 21-year-old actor from Arizona, said the family film is about faith and urges Americans to not “be complacent anymore,” he told CNA September 11.
Gomez plays the role of Christian Revere, grandson of the movie’s main character Bob Revere, who is played by Marshall Teague. Christian finds himself rebuked for bringing a Bible to school and sees Christmas being ignored or secularized in a town where it was once celebrated by locals. “He comes home and he feels like his rights are being stepped on,” Gomez summarized. “He can’t put a cross wherever he wants or bring a Bible to school or read a Bible in public.” Christian, whose father died in war, asks his grandfather, the town’s part-time mayor, what his father died for. The question prompts the Revere family to decide to stand for their beliefs and inspire their town. Gomez said the movie is about supporting all faiths, not just Christianity. He said it has been “very well received” and is not a partisan film. “It has no political agenda. It’s simply about standing up for your rights and becoming involved in political discussion.” Gomez is presently a student at Arizona State University. His home parish is the Catholic Community of the Blessed Sacrament in Scottsdale, Ariz. He said he feels free to speak about his faith in daily life. “But you have to be careful,” he said. “You can’t say certain things.” He said there is a “misconception” that those who are vocal about their faith, especially Catholics, “can come across as a bigot or someone that is deemed by the public as crazy. I think we should be able to live in a society where especially young people can be expressive and excited about their faith and say ‘I’m a Christian’ and not have to hide that.” Gomez advised Americans to “directly confront” social pressures to conceal their faith through discussion and dialogue.
The “Last Ounce of Courage” movie runs special screenings on September 11 and opens nationwide September 14.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...