FEATURED MOVIE REVIEW: Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story

By Michael R. Heinlein/OSV News

Photo: Michelle Duppong is seen in the documentary “Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story,” produced by Anderson Art. (OSV News photo/ courtesy Focus) 

NEW YORK. The saints can sometimes seem like lofty, unrelatable figures. It’s rare to find contemporary examples of sanctity, and rarer still to find models of heroic virtue among the young.

There has been an effort in recent decades to promote the canonization of individuals from various walks of life. Yet the majority of those so recognized continue to be drawn from the clergy or the religious orders.

As a lay woman who succumbed to cancer at the age of 31 in 2015, Michelle Duppong bucks that trend. Duppong’s sainthood cause has been formally opened by the Diocese of Bismark, North Dakota, where she served as director of adult faith formation. She had earlier worked as a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).

The brief but compelling biography of this unusual candidate for canonization is chronicled in the inspiring documentary “Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story” (Unrated, Fathom). Directed by Danny Anderson, the film will had a one-day theatrical showing nationwide Nov. 12 as a Fathom Events presentation.

The movie features interviews with many of Duppong’s relatives, friends and colleagues. They offer consistent first-hand testimony about the power of her personality and the depth of her holiness.

Hearing from those whose lives were directly shaped by Duppong’s evangelization ministry provides a clear picture of how much she loved the Lord and desired to serve him in others. Those elements of her character remained strong even during the final year of her life, which was spent mostly in the hospital as she battled her fatal illness.

Indeed, Duppong’s physician and others bear witness to the fact that she faced sickness, pain and impending death with uncommon resignation and peace. Many of the interviewees contextualize her suffering in the light of Christ’s passion and provide commentary on its spiritual significance.

While this emphasis on the redemptive potential of bearing such a heavy cross makes for effective catechesis, the subject is dwelt on at such length that some viewers may ultimately find these parts of the film emotionally burdensome. More disciplined editing might have made for better results.

“Radiating Joy” also leaves some key questions unanswered. Despite the presence of her family members on screen, for instance, it’s never made clear how the foundation of Duppong’s resolute and resilient faith was laid. Was she influenced by her parents or siblings or did she draw inspiration elsewhere?

More information on the nature of Duppong’s prayer life would also have strengthened this portrait. Finally, although brief mention is made of a serious dating relationship at the end of her life, too little attention is paid to the topic.

Despite these shortcomings, the production overall is both informative and uplifting. Viewers won’t regret getting to know more about Duppong, her witness to the Lord and her lasting legacy.

The film contains mature themes and images of illness. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents.

(Michael R. Heinlein is a guest reviewer for OSV News)