BY R E V E R E N D B R I A N F I D L E R *
IN THIS ISSUE
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College Matriculation
4
Awards Day
6
Commencement
7
Awards Day & Commencement Pictorial
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2017-2018 Highlights
harlie Chaplin was an English comic actor and filmmaker who rose to fame in the silent film era of the 1920s and who refused to move to the production of sound films until 1940. Chaplin’s films are characterized by slapstick comedy combined with pathos – that quality of emotional appeal to the audience that evokes a heartfelt response. From the 1940s on, Chaplin’s films contained an increasing variety of social and political themes, elevating his silent satire to an art form.
I cannot tell you how many times in my 35 years as a school chaplain my title has been spelled the same way as Charlie Chaplin’s last name. I’m not alone. There may be more of a connection between Chaplin and “a chaplain” than the misspelling suggests. The Rev. Dan Heischman, executive director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, writes: Chaplin was trained in ballet, which allowed him to do amazing stunts and make use of his incredible physical agility. Without saying a word, Chaplin told such interesting stories with his body. A good chaplain, to my mind, needs to have at least a little bit of artistry inside of him or her, be it of the dramatic, musical or improvisational variety. So too, Chaplin was able, in his films, to communicate the simple reality that life can be hard, sometimes unfair, and he did that so often by focusing on those who were experiencing difficult times. One of the most important gifts a chaplain can give to a school is the understanding of these realities of life, particularly in environments steeped in a system of merits and rewards. It is in Chaplin’s use of silence, however, that I think we find the greatest connection between a “chaplain” and Charlie Chaplin. Silence, for Chaplin, provided an opportunity for storytelling; it was not a technical inhibition of film at that time nor a disadvantage in his portrayal of characters. There were ways that silence could be used in his artistry that words could not capture. Perhaps that is why, after a sustained period of time when chaplains have introduced school communities to the ways silence can be used in chapel, students and faculty alike begin to crave it. The chaplain in our schools can be the one who ushers us into the possibilities of silence, rather than seeing it simply as an absence of what normally is crammed into our days. Whether it is an offering of prayers without words or allowing a poignant moment to linger, the link between chaplain and Chaplin can be strong. Continued on page 2
*Excerpts from Rev. Fidler’s final chapel talk of the 2017-2018 school year. In retirement, Rev. Fidler will continue living in San Diego and looks forward to serving on the Commission on Ministry of the diocese that shepherds the future deacons and priests of the Church through their ordination process. He will also serve as a facilitator of a nationwide group of school chaplains.
School News Published for the Bishop’s Community
Chaplain Brian Fidler with Charlie Chaplin
HEADLINES FOOTNOTES &
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Chaplain or Chaplin – The Final Word
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