Martin Scorsese, Priest of the Silver Screen
From a young age, Martin Scorsese dreamed of becoming a priest. To him, that vocation seemed more important than even being the president of the United States.
Early Life in Little Italy
In 1953, 11-year-old Scorsese lived with his family in a small apartment in New York City's Little Italy. His uncle lived in the same building, and his grandparents were just down the street. Despite this close-knit family environment, the outside world was intimidating.
The tough streets of the Lower East Side were filled with loan sharks, swindlers, and street toughs who stood on corners, telling jokes or exchanging punches—and sometimes bullets.
A Life Apart
Scorsese rarely ventured outside due to severe asthma, leading him to live “a life apart.” He said,
“I felt separate from everyone else.”
From his bedroom window, he quietly observed the world below, storing every detail in his memory.
Religious Education and Early Calling
His parents, devout Catholics from the old country, wanted him to receive a religious education. They enrolled him at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral School on Mulberry Street. They encouraged him, saying,
“Go around the corner, go to school.”
It was there that Scorsese began to discover his true calling in life.
Author's Summary
Martin Scorsese’s early desire to become a priest shaped his deeply reflective storytelling, proving he found his faith through filmmaking more than from a pulpit.