Grace Thompson
The CBS drama series Blue Bloods portrays a fictional family of Irish-Catholic cops, the Reagans, who are proud of their Catholic faith, which is on display in every episode. The show is about a close-knit family committed to law enforcement, with members including Frank Reagan, the current New York City police commissioner, his son Danny, a detective on the NYPD, and two other children who are also part of the NYPD, Jamie, a police officer, and Erin, an assistant district attorney. The show has featured diocese churches within the Diocese of Brooklyn and includes religious themes such as discussions about moral and religious issues and the ritual grace before meals, including the Sign of the Cross. While the show is not Catholic-sponsored, it has been praised for its respectful portrayal of religion and has been credited with having a positive impact on viewers' perspectives about faith.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Show premise | Revolves around a closely-knit, Irish-Catholic family, the Reagans, who are committed to law enforcement |
| Catholic themes | Ritual grace before meals, discussions about moral and religious issues, Catholic and otherwise |
| Catholic credibility | One of the scriptwriters, Siobhan Byrne O’Connor, is Catholic and married into a family of police officers |
| Catholic criticism | The show occasionally conflicts with Catholic beliefs and has been accused of trying to embarrass the Church |
| Catholic settings | Scenes are set inside and outside Catholic churches within the Diocese of Brooklyn |
| Catholic characters | The show's patriarch, Frank Reagan, is Catholic, as is his actor, Tom Selleck |
| Catholic fanbase | The show has been praised by Catholic clergy, who note that it mirrors the real-life Catholic background of its cast |
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What You'll Learn
The cast of 'Blue Bloods' is not entirely Catholic
The cast of Blue Bloods is not entirely Catholic. While the show features a closely-knit, Irish-Catholic family committed to law enforcement, with Catholic traditions and rituals incorporated into the narrative, the religious background of the cast members may vary.
The show's protagonist, Frank Reagan, is played by Tom Selleck, who, despite enjoying playing the Catholic patriarch, has stated that he is neither Catholic nor particularly religious in real life. Similarly, Donnie Wahlberg, who portrays Detective Danny Reagan, rose to fame as a member of the boy band New Kids on the Block before pursuing an acting career. There is no indication that his religious affiliation played a significant role in his portrayal of Danny.
Bridget Moynahan, who plays Erin Reagan, the only Reagan daughter and an assistant district attorney, gained recognition as a model before transitioning into acting. While her character's Catholic faith is integral to her role, there is no information suggesting that Moynahan shares the same religious beliefs as her character. Will Estes, who plays Jamie Reagan, the youngest of the Reagan sons and an NYPD sergeant, has not publicly disclosed his religious beliefs.
While the show integrates Catholic themes and traditions, such as saying grace before meals and discussing moral and religious issues, it is not a Catholic-sponsored program. The writers of Blue Bloods have been accused of portraying the Catholic faith in a simplistic and sometimes conflicting manner. However, the show has been praised for its respectful portrayal of religious issues and individuals, offering a refreshing change from the sarcasm and skepticism often directed at faith traditions on television.
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The show is about a Catholic family
The show "Blue Bloods" is about a Catholic family—the Reagans, a fictional family of cops with a long history of policing in New York. The family is committed to law enforcement and their Catholic faith, which is on display in every episode. The show is set within the context of a closely-knit, Irish-Catholic family and includes Frank Reagan, the current New York City police commissioner, played by Tom Selleck. Frank's son Danny, played by Donnie Wahlberg, is a zealous detective on the NYPD. Two other children are also part of the NYPD: Jamie, a police officer, and his sister Erin, an assistant district attorney. Frank's father, Henry, played by Len Cariou, is the retired police commissioner. Danny's wife, Erin's teenage daughter, and two young boys are also part of the family cast of characters.
The show draws on real-life New York City events and features scenes inside and outside parish churches within the Diocese of Brooklyn. It is not a Catholic-sponsored program, but it does include Catholic rituals such as saying grace before meals and making the Sign of the Cross. The show also features discussions about moral and religious issues, both Catholic and otherwise. For example, in one episode, the commissioner makes provocative comments about homosexuality and the church being "behind the times," which sparked controversy and protests from The Catholic League. In another episode, a nun admits she was a lesbian before entering the convent, and she asks the commissioner to help keep her Catholic school open.
One of the program's scriptwriters, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, is a Catholic who has married into a family of police officers. The writers of "Blue Bloods" have tried to portray the Catholic faith with respect and deference, although some critics argue that they have not always succeeded in accurately depicting Catholic beliefs and traditions. Despite this, the show has enjoyed enormous success, with 14 seasons aired or planned before its conclusion.
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Catholicism is a key theme in the show
The show includes scenes where the family says grace before meals, including the Sign of the Cross, and discusses moral and religious issues. The family never attends church together, but faith seems to inform their lives. For example, in one episode, the commissioner makes provocative comments about homosexuality and the church being "behind the times," which the Archbishop of New York disagrees with. In another episode, a nun admits she was a lesbian before entering the convent and asks the commissioner to help keep her Catholic school open.
The show also mirrors real life in its depiction of the relationship between the police commissioner and the archbishop, with the latter often guiding the former as his spiritual advisor. The show features churches within the Diocese of Brooklyn as pivotal locations, including St. Patrick's. The Catholic League has even been involved in the show, protesting an episode where the commissioner made controversial comments about the church.
While "Blue Bloods" is not a Catholic-sponsored program, its exploration of Catholicism and its themes of family, law enforcement, and faith have contributed to its success and longevity.
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The show depicts Catholic traditions
The show "Blue Bloods" is set within the context of a close-knit, Irish-Catholic family, the Reagans, committed to law enforcement. The family is headed by Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck, the New York City police commissioner. The show depicts Catholic traditions such as the ritual grace before meals, including the Sign of the Cross, and discussions about moral and religious issues. The family goes to Mass every Sunday and then has a family dinner together, with Frank's father, police commissioner emeritus Henry Reagan, Danny's wife, Erin's daughter, and Jamie Reagan, Frank's son and a police officer. The show also features scenes inside and outside parish churches within the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The Catholicity of the Reagan family has been noted as a needed corrective to an ecclesial culture that too often elevates the moral law above the worship of God. The show has been praised as one of the few TV shows to treat Catholicism fairly and has been called a good remedy to today's popular idea of a "dysfunctional family." The influence of Catholic values and beliefs is clear and positively presented, and the family's faith-based convictions help them make the right decisions in difficult situations.
While the show generally tries to depict Catholic traditions accurately and respectfully, it has also been criticized by some for not accurately representing Catholicism. For example, in 2014, the show angered the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights with an episode titled "Burning Bridges," in which Frank Reagan criticized the Catholic Church for its stance on homosexuality. The episode also featured a character who was a lesbian nun. The Catholic League CEO, Bill Donohue, claimed his group was "bombarded with complaints" from viewers and accused the show's writers of misrepresenting the sexual abuse scandal.
Despite this controversy, "Blue Bloods" is not a Catholic-sponsored program, and the show includes characters with different perspectives on faith. For example, Danny Reagan, the elder surviving son, struggles with faith in the face of tragedy, and his sister Erin is divorced. Overall, the show presents a positive and respectful portrayal of Catholic traditions and values, even if it occasionally takes a critical view of the Church.
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The show features Catholic characters
The show "Blue Bloods" features a cast of characters who are part of a closely-knit, Irish-Catholic family committed to law enforcement. The Reagan family includes Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck, who serves as the New York City police commissioner. Frank's father, Henry, played by Len Cariou, is the retired police commissioner. Frank's son Danny, played by Donnie Wahlberg, is a detective on the NYPD, while his other children, Jamie and Erin, are also involved in law enforcement. The show incorporates religious themes, including discussions about moral and religious issues and rituals such as saying grace before meals.
The Catholic faith is a significant aspect of the show, with one of the scriptwriters, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, being Catholic herself. The show has been praised for its respectful portrayal of religious issues and individuals affiliated with religion. It has featured storylines that engage with controversial topics within the Catholic Church, such as homosexuality and clerical sex abuse.
While the show presents a positive portrayal of Catholicism, some have criticized the writers for not accurately depicting Catholic beliefs and practices. Despite these conflicting views, the show has successfully incorporated Catholic themes and rituals, such as grace before meals, which is written into every episode by the showrunner, Wade, who is a baptized, practising Catholic.
The show also features interactions between the characters and religious figures, such as the Archbishop of New York, played by Bill Irwin, and the spiritual advisor to Frank Reagan, Archbishop Kevin Kearns, played by Stacy Keach. These characters add depth to the religious context of the show and mirror the real-life relationships between police commissioners and members of the Catholic Church.
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Frequently asked questions
Although the show features a Catholic family, not all cast members are Catholic in real life. For example, Tom Selleck, who plays the patriarch Frank Reagan, is not Catholic in real life.
Blue Bloods is about a closely-knit, Irish-Catholic family committed to law enforcement. The show follows the Reagan family, with a long history of policing in New York.
Catholicism is a central theme in Blue Bloods, with the family saying grace before meals and discussing moral and religious issues. The show has been praised for its respectful portrayal of religion and its depiction of faith-based traditions. However, some critics argue that the writers have an ethical obligation to portray Catholicism accurately and avoid deception.
Yes, one of the scriptwriters, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, is Catholic and has married into a family of police officers.
Yes, the show also features Archbishop Kevin Kearns, played by Stacy Keach, who serves as a spiritual advisor to Frank Reagan.
