Martin Scorsese, Priest of the Silver Screen
From a young age, Martin Scorsese aspired to be a priest—he valued the role more than even the president of the United States. Growing up in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City in 1953, 11-year-old Scorsese lived in a small apartment with his family. His uncle lived in the same building, and his grandparents were nearby.
Beyond this close-knit family environment, the streets of the Lower East Side were intimidating. The area was filled with tough characters, loan sharks, and swindlers who lingered on street corners, sharing jokes and stories. Conflicts sometimes escalated into fights, and at worst, gunfire.
Fortunately, Scorsese rarely had to face the dangers outside. He suffered from severe asthma, which kept him mostly indoors. Reflecting on his childhood, he said,
“I lived a life apart. I felt separate from everyone else.”
From his bedroom window, he observed the world below, storing every detail in his memory. His parents, devout Catholics from their homeland, encouraged him to pursue a religious education. They sent him to St Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street, urging, “Go around the corner, go to school.”
It was there that he discovered his true calling, though it would unfold well beyond the pulpit.
Author’s Summary
Martin Scorsese’s early desire to become a priest shaped his worldview, but his faith found greater expression through his work as a filmmaker than through religious service.