A group that US presidents aren't even prepared to talk about.
In 1956, US president Dwight Eisenhower declared that "In God We Trust" must appear on American currency. The 84th Congress later passed legislation which declared the phrase to be the national motto of the United States.
Money, religion, politics.
All three enshrined in a union that has still proven to be unbreakable and when it comes to the issue of church and state, Irish history is littered with examples, both good and horrific.
In Netflix's new documentary
The Family, director Jesse Moss will explore the history of a quietly powerful religious organisation with strong ties to US and global politics.
Those that are already versed in the topic might be familiar with a group called The Fellowship.
Essentially, every February, guests from around the world gather for a blessing that's organised by the subjects of The Family. Those guests have included every US president since Dwight Eisenhower. The Fellowship sponsor only one public activity, the annual National Prayer Breakfast.
“I wish I could say more about it,” President Ronald Reagan said in 1985,
according to the New York Times, “but it’s working precisely because it is private.”
The five-part series will examine the inner-workings of this organisation and the documentary is produced by Oscar winner Alex Gibney - you may already know Gibney's work because he directed the outstanding
No Stone Unturned about the Loughinisland massacre.
As the trailer states, in The Family, be prepared to meet "the most powerful man in Washington you've never heard of."
The Family is available to watch on Netflix from 9 August.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7knN2TXQPzw
Clip via Netflix
