SAINT RALPH

Do you believe in miracles? What is a miracle? Many might raise their eyebrows about it because what most people would subscribe to is the saying “To see is to believe.” When we say miracle, we somehow attach the word impossible to it. We thought of it as something unrealistic, or just a product of wild imagination. Well, here is a film that would enlighten you of what miracle is.

Ralph Walker is a fourteen-year-old teenager in the year 1954 in Canada. He was a bad boy during his years in a Catholic school. He always went to confession to seek the Lord’s forgiveness of having impure thoughts.

He made daily visits to his seriously ill mother in the hospital where she's taken care of by Nurse Alice. Ralph pretended he's in the custodial care of his grandparents, but in fact he lived alone. He always asked his friend, Chester to sign his school papers using his grandparent’s signature. Ralph tried to live a normal life, including smoking in the school grounds wherein Father Fitzpatrick, his school principal, is always on guard of whatever Ralph does.

He and his good friend, Chester, made a daring expedition to the town's public swimming pool to see naked women in the locker room. Chester left when naked women are unproven, but Ralph stayed on and his patience was properly rewarded when he emerged from a dangerous dive. He became blissfully aroused in the water, for which he was reprimanded. Before long, his shameful adventure was the talk of the town.

After the incident his date with his pretty schoolmate, Claire, was called off. On top of that, Claire hoped to become a nun, so she professed disinterest in Ralph. But Ralph continued to see her especially when she volunteered at a hospital where his mother resided.

When he told his mother what had happened, his mother was under coma. Ralph was told that only a miracle could bring her out of it. He reasoned out that if he could make some other miracles happen, it would magically restore his mothers’ health.

As a disciplinary action to his misconduct, Father Fitzpatrick had him joined the cross-country team, for which he was seemingly ill-equipped. An idea occurred to him that if he would win the Boston Marathon, it could be the miracle that could wake up his mother.

He found out that he needed faith, prayer, and purity to perform a miracle. So he asked Claire to help him how to do all these things. With few months before the marathon, he was only guided by a book in the library entitled, “The Secrets of Marathon.”

As the marathon drew near, he was helped by people, from Nurse Alice who helped him improve his stamina by joining his exercise, up to Fr. Hibbert, once a long-distance runner, as his mentor.

A week before the marathon, many bad things happened like burning their house and having fought with Chester. But all of this did not stop him to go to the marathon.

He was also admired by people who disdained him before. Even Claire showed renewed interest in him. But only one person became his barrier. It’s Father Fitzpatrick who regarded Ralph’s thinking as blasphemous. He tried to stop him from going to the marathon but without giving anything away, Ralph eventually joined the marathon with the help of Father Hibbert.

When the marathon began, all were exited and listened to the commentator. Ralph was given some encouragements by a God character, dressed in a Santa outfit. It was a close competition, coupled with the suspense of whether the hope for miracle will happen.

Few meters to the finish line, two runners, Ralph and the 1953 champion were head-to-head.

With a blink of an eye, the 1953 champion won the marathon. Ralph was very disappointed of what happened. He went home with just a second place medal and his hope of miracle was diminished.

When he arrived home, the entire community were proud of what he had done. In the end, a miracle really happened. His mother woke up from coma. Ralph and Claire had their second kiss but with no doubt of worries of committing sin. He remained as a student in the school and planned ahead for the next marathon with Fr. Hibbert as his mentor.

In the film entitled Saint Ralph, we can view at once that the writer and director has captured the reality in cross-country. It is because the director himself is a marathon runner and winner.

The film is somewhat aiming for the ridiculousness. It would be unrealistic if Ralph with his physical structure, a tall, slim, and uneducated about marathon, will win the competition compared to the other participants.

In the film, it compares two different kinds of priests. Fr. Hibbert represents the priests who are easily approached while Fr. Fitzpatrick represents those who stick to the doctrines like the old priests.

Chester, close friend of Ralph, showed how is to be a real friend. Chester portraits an ideal friend to all of us to show that a friend will always be at our side whatever happen.

There are also some parts which are disappointing but realistic like blasphemy, back nakedness, underage drinking and smoking which are not appropriate for kids to watch. It show how youngster or teenager today act with so much liberation.

For grown ups, this is a beautiful, extremely touching film that expresses an image of perseverance, faith, good sportsmanship and confidence. Ralph becomes the ideal teenager to all. Of course not of his first acts: smoking, drinking and having impure thoughts. It is his great confidence and perseverance of achieving his goal.

Miracle does not always mean something very big. It is something that a person must understand to capture the will of a person to pursue despite all the barriers he encountered.

We may not realize it but miracles happen everyday in our lives. From something totally unexpected but suddenly becoming a reality, that is already a thing we should look forward to with great hope. From sleeping after a long tiring day to waking up to a brand new day, physically fit and morally prepared to face new battles in life, isn’t that a miracle? From overcoming problems and emerging triumphant from our daily challenges, that in itself is a miracle. Sometimes, we just have to believe we can with the guidance of God.

As a song goes,” There can be miracles, when you believe.”