Martin Scorsese, Priest of the Silver Screen
From a young age, Martin Scorsese dreamed of becoming a priest. To him, that role was more significant than being president of the United States.
Early Life in Little Italy
In 1953, 11-year-old Scorsese lived in a cramped apartment in New York City's Little Italy with his parents and older brother. His uncle lived in the same building, and his grandparents were nearby. Despite the warmth of his family circle, the outside world felt dangerous to him.
The Lower East Side was filled with tough characters—loan sharks, swindlers, and street toughs who watched corners, exchanged jokes and stories, and often settled disputes with violence.
“I lived a life apart,” he later recalled. “I felt separate from everyone else.”
Health and Isolation
Scorsese rarely left home due to severe asthma, which kept him isolated. From his bedroom window, he observed life unfolding on the streets below, soaking in every detail.
Religious Education and Calling
His Catholic parents, adhering to traditions from the old country, insisted he receive a religious education. They sent him to St Patrick’s Old Cathedral school on Mulberry Street, encouraging him to pursue what he found meaningful.
“Go around the corner, go to school,” they told him.
It was there that Scorsese discovered his true calling.
Author's summary: Martin Scorsese’s early desire to become a priest reflects his deep faith and shaped his unique perspective, which he later expressed through filmmaking rather than a pulpit.