[winin2000]

Gibson's objections to the post-Vatican II Church echo those of the members of the Society of St. Pius X, which broke away from Rome partially because of the abandonment of the Latin or Tridentine liturgy.

To some Catholics on the site more devout and informed than I: does this mean Gibson is involved with a breakaway sect that is no longer in communion with Rome?

I hope not. There is no other man in Hollywood for whom I have greater respect and it would be heartbreaking to know he has formally abandoned Christ's true church.

[goldstategop]

I don't think Mel abandoned Catholicism. He takes issue with the abandonment of many traditional rites by the Church simply to appear "progressive" when that happened back in the 60s. You can take issue with the watering down of Catholicism to be PC and still be a good Catholic. In fact Mel's the opposite of liberal Catholics who want the Church to become even more PC by accepting homosexuals as normal, sanctioning abortion, and ordaining women clergy. Mel's guilty of loving his faith and wanting the Church to be like it used to be and you don't see too many people do that these days and if you're for tradition you're considered a fodgey. That and not defining deviancy down is considered to be the worst crime in our post modern society.

[wideawake]

My presumption is that the priest who officiates in his private chapel is not officially affiliated with any diocese. I don't think he is a member of the SSPX or the SSPV or any of the truly wacko offshoots of either of those movements.

He may have taken the Vatican ruling to heart that if there is no Mass in your diocese celebrated according to the GIRM, then you are permitted to attend a Mass celebrated according to the rubrics of the 1962 Missal.

He may be expressing a frustration with our poorly-administered Church and the lack of disciplinary mettle of the Vatican. It does not necessarily mean he has separated himself from allegiance to the Holy See.

[fishtank]

To some Catholics on the site more devout and informed than I: does this mean Gibson is involved with a breakaway sect that is no longer in communion with Rome?

If Mel Gibson is not SSPX, I know for a fact that he has very close relatives who are in the SSPX.

In one recent movie "Conspiracy Theory", his cabdriver character is even shown scolding two nuns for being allied with the Vatican, described by the character as "corrupt".

Christ's true church consists of every believer in Jesus Christ and in His Resurrection. Not every Catholic is a Christian, just as every denomination has people within their doors who are not believers.

[Domestic Church]

"...does this mean Gibson is involved with a breakaway sect that is no longer in communion with Rome?"

Not at all. It is only human to have doubts and question these days and those raised under the preconsiliar Church would have to be mindless not to see the problems along with the "fruits" of Vatican II.

There is an agenda to trigger another schism from many sectors including the population control bunch and this sort of media spin, taking Gibson's conservative faith and using it as a tool against the Church, is highly orchestrated.

[Russ]

Actually, there are probably hundreds of us right here on
Free Republic who belong to a breakaway sect who abandoned
what you call the "true Church". We're Lutherans...

[Tired of Taxes]

To some Catholics on the site more devout and informed than I: does this mean Gibson is involved with a breakaway sect that is no longer in communion with Rome?

I am no longer Catholic, but there is a chapel near our house where only Latin masses are given. People travel from many miles away every Sunday to attend mass there. These people remember (as many Catholics age 50+ remember) that masses were given in Latin when they were children, and they think the Church has abandoned many of the old rites and traditions. (And they're correct). But, the priests who run the place are considered "renegades" today. I had an article about it, but I recently trashed it, so I don't remember all the details. But, I don't think they're officially recognized by the Catholic Church anymore. How ironic, when it was the Catholic Church that changed, not these traditionalists.

[monkey]

does this mean Gibson is involved with a breakaway sect that is no longer in communion with Rome?

I don't know about Mel, but his father, Hutton, is a sede-vacantist who has written such books as, "Is the Pope Catholic".

[smith288]

Christs "one true church" is the church of those who accept him as Gods son and that he died for our sins.

There is no other rule in the Bible I can find that states otherwise to prevent me from entering the Kingdom of God. That includes what particular sect or division of any church I am a member of as long as it is Bible believing and a follower of Christs teachings.

God Bless those who follow Jesus' church regardless of affiliation.

[Outlaw76]

"I hope not. There is no other man in Hollywood for whom I have greater respect and it would be heartbreaking to know he has formally abandoned Christ's true church."

Coming from an Episcopalian background I can certainly sympathise with Mr. Gibson's viewpoint, and I must ask you, Is it Mel that split from the church, or the church that split from him?