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In 1995 Susan Sarrandon played the real life character Sister Helen Prejean who begins to minister to death row inmate, in Dead Man Walking, also starring Sean Penn as the hardened criminal, rapist and murderer Matthew Poncelet. As she ministers to Matthew she is deeply criticized by one of the victims father and so she also visits the victims family weeping with them through their anger and pain. Out of this she is able to help Matthew face the reality and responsibility for his actions. As the time for the execution nears, Sister Helen helps Poncelet come to terms with the crime he committed, and the inmate finally accepts responsibility. A flashback reveals the cruel and senseless murders. He had intended to taunt the families of his victims with his last words, but instead he offers an apology and dies with a sense of dignity.

This is exactly how God’s love is meant to work in our lives. It is not an escape from reality but an entrance into it. It is not a shirking of responsibility but a deep grasping of it.

At one point in the movie Sister moves toward Matthew and says,

Sister Helen Prejean: You are a son of God.
Matthew Poncelet: [in tears] Thank you. I've never been called a son of God before.
[laughs slightly]
Matthew Poncelet: I've been called a son of a you-know-what plenty of times, but I've never been called a son of God.