A feature length documentary :

Mother
Overbrook

It is with great joy and enthusiasm that St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, PA, approves your endeavor to “capture” our history in the form of a full-length documentary. This project is something that we had hoped for, and we are grateful for your Spirit -filled initiative.

Joyful Films are gifted storytellers and have helped Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary craft video productions that allow our mission to truly resonate in a special way with our audiences. We can count on them to get it right while always presenting the Seminary in an inspiring way.

I have come to realize what a treasure we have in St. Charles Seminary…I heartily endorse the making of the documentary “Mother Overbrook” to preserve our legacy. May God bless you in this noble and worthwhile effort.

…we need to preserve the history, and memories of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary for future generations. We owe this to them. Thank you for your efforts to capture and preserve the legacy of generations of faithful Catholics…

...it would not be right simply to leave the current site without taking stock of the amazing story which those walls and statues can tell.

…I pray for the success of your labors, so that future generations may be inspired to follow in the path of so many others who left the halls of St. Charles to serve God and His Church, carrying with them all that they learned at Mother Overbrook!

Mother Overbrook is an independent project, separate from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary but inspired by the legacy of priestly formation.

If We Don’t Tell The Story Who Will?

For over 150 years, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary has been situated on a beautiful campus in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. Over this time, it has been commonly referred to as “Mother Overbrook”. As a Seminary is the womb of the diocese giving birth to new Priests.

This documentary from Deo Gratias Films will tell the story of Mother Overbrook.

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A Synopsis

Mother Overbrook is a feature length documentary that will preserve the legacy and introduce the future of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. It will tell the story of the men and women who came together in a common mission from which thousands of Priests and 83 apostolic successors over the last 200 years came forth. It is a story of the continuation of Christ’s Priesthood in the new world of America. The twists and turns of the growth and decline of faith in our society all while exploring the beautiful property of Overbrook and what made it gain the attention and visitation of 5 Popes and 3 canonized saints.

Patrimony

Mother Overbrook is a memorial to faithful Catholics who have contributed to the Patrimony of the Church. It will be the canvas to an even greater story which is why we needed and will always need Priests of God.

SACRED GROUND : POPES & SAINTS

Chapels

Altars

Works of Art

Stained Glass Windows

Papal Visits

Canonized Saints

An Urgent Need

We are now in the last semester that Seminarians will be on the property of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood. All chapels have been decommissioned and Seminarians to come will never experience the beauty, peace, and transcendence of Mother Overbrook.

We need your help to carry this legacy into the next generation.

Giving levels & the generosity of our sponsors

Contribute to the legacy

Contribute to the legacy of Mother Overbrook. Deo Gratias Films, working with the International Institute for Culture will preserve the legacy of Mother Overbrook for the next generation of Catholics. Your tax-deductible donation can be made here.

GO FUND ME

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Thank You for a Tremendous Year!

December 23, 2024

Thank you for your incredible generosity in helping us preserve the legacy of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary through the documentary Mother Overbrook. Your support has made this journey possible, and I’m excited to share our progress with you.

This past year has been a monumental one for the film. We’ve conducted thirteen, deeply moving interviews and spent countless hours capturing the breathtaking beauty of both the Overbrook and Gwynedd campuses. The footage is stunning, and the interviews are rich with emotion and insight. I often left these sessions with tears in my eyes, profoundly moved by the stories shared.

This fall marked a historic moment as Saint Charles Seminary officially “handed over the keys” to Main Line Health, completing its transition from the Overbrook campus. Before this transition, we captured key moments like the final Eucharistic Procession of the 40 Hours Devotion and the dedication of the new chapel in Gwynedd this September. During the dedication, I witnessed Bishop Senior tear up as the candles were lit for the first time—a powerful symbol of the new chapter he worked so diligently to open.

Among the most poignant moments we filmed was Father Louis Monica celebrating a private Mass in St. Martin’s Chapel, standing behind the iconic ambulatory for the last time. We also filmed a full four hours of interview time with historical expert Father John Collins. These moments are shaping this film into one of the most compelling retellings of Catholic Philadelphia’s story ever created.

Now, as we head into post-production, we are working hard to ensure that this film is completed with the quality and care it deserves. Post-production is where the story comes alive, and we are dedicating ourselves fully to this important phase while continuing our efforts to fundraise and bring this project to completion.

I’m humbled to share that another of my projects, The Total Gift: A Katharine Drexel Story, recently won a 2024 Mid-Atlantic EMMY, drawing even more attention to these powerful stories of faith. God’s timing is always perfect, and I feel blessed to see His hand guiding us in this mission.

Thank you again for your faith, your generosity, and your belief in this mission. Together, we are preserving history and inspiring the future of our Church.

May God bless you abundantly!

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