Mel Gibson: $5 Mil to Fringe Church (FOX attacks "antiquated Catholic ideology")

FOX ^ | Friday, February 20, 2004 | By Roger Friedman

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Mel Gibson's put his money where his mouth is. By now everyone in the world knows he's spent $25 million to make "The Passion of the Christ" and promised nearly $25M more to market it.

But what you may not know is that Gibson has also put up $5.1 million so far to run his own personal church near Malibu.

Last year Christopher Noxon wrote in The New York Times that Gibson had donated $2.3 million to make Holy Family Catholic Church in Agoura Hills, California a reality. Holy Family rejects the universally accepted teachings of the Second Vatican Conference and chooses to stick with antiquated Catholic ideology.

Bu it turns out that Gibson has donated a little more than twice that amount to Holy Family since 1999, according to federal tax filings. And that's not counting 2003, since the most recent report has not yet been filed.

Gibson and his wife Robyn are listed in federal tax records as directors of the Holy Family Catholic Church. The church is run out of Gibson's Icon Production company offices, with an Icon employee responsible for keeping the church's books.

The Gibsons' tax-free donations to Holy Family are made possible by a charity they established called the AP Reilly Foundation, which is named for Mel's late mother. The foundation was created on October 29, 1999 for the sole purpose of creating the church.

The church, by the way, has an unlisted phone number, keeps its address a secret and has asked those who have the information not to release it.

Gibson is no stranger to controversy when it comes to voicing his opinion about his religious beliefs. In a 1992 interview with the Spanish magazine El Pais, his comments about homosexuals — which cannot be printed here — caused an international stir.

In the same interview Gibson talked about the fact that his brand of Traditionalist Catholics did not subscribe to the Second Vatican Council's 1965 rulings on various subjects including who was responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.

[ultima ratio]

Are you out of your gourd? Why would you suppose the SSPX would not agree that we are all responsible for Jesus' death? What kind of bizarre prejudice do you harbour against the SSPX to state such an outlandish thing? To even state this so casually is shocking to me. SSPX affirms whatever the Church had affirmed before Vatican II. It does not in any way shape or form believe, for instance, that the Jews are collectively responsible for the death of Jesus, or that we are not all responsible. You need to set the record straight on this and not spread slanders about a group of dedicated Catholic priests about whom you know nothing about.

[JesseHousman]

Holy Family rejects the universally accepted teachings of the Second Vatican Conference...

Many Roman Catholics find the "teachings' of Vatican II to be universally unacceptable.

The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) no doubt have found the "teachings" to be reprehensible.

When the results of Vatican II have proven such a disaster to the Church I would think that the franchised American Catholic Church and their managerial-type bishops would work overtime to swing the Church into conformance with the Vatican.

Instead, the American franchise (that's what most of the bishops feel they have going here in North America) grinds out heresy and disenchantment!

[american colleen]

I'm not out of my gourd. Read what you wrote again:

"I suggest that Jews take the advice given to Christians when an anti-Christian movie is made--don't buy a ticket."

And what inference about "The Passion of Christ" can be made from the words that you used above.

[Aquinasfan]

he specifically said "Christ died for ALL" and that it wasn't the Jews that were responsible for the death of Christ it is ALL of us who are responsible. That didn't strike me very SSPX-like. Also he said he "was over-run with Jesuits" on the set - hired for language and historical purposes.

Good catch. He nailed every answer.

[ultima ratio]

Look, I went to see "Elizabeth" which had plenty of Catholic villains. It made me uncomfortable and angry. I shouldn't have bought a ticket. This goes for the few Jews who feel squeamish about seeing what happened historically 2000 years ago. They needn't buy tickets. This was the remedy suggested for Christians who protested that "The Last Temptation of Christ" was anti-Christian, though it was not based on the Gospels but on the fevered imaginings of a novelist. As for my stating you're out of your gourd--this was in reference to my other post. You virtually called a group of devout priests bigots--just as you're intimating that I am one for saying what I said about not buying tickets. You are actually projecting bigotry where it doesn't exist--which apparently comes from your own prejudices.

[Cacique]

ping

[RaginCajunTrad]

"Gibson follows an excommunicated sect.

He, therefore is excommunicated. The Decree excommunicating Marcel Lefebvre was issue by John Paul II in 1988."

Your remarks are contrary to those of Msgr. Camille Perl of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, but right in line with what most neo-Catholics say about the pre-Novus Ordo liturgy.

[Salvation]

Fox needs to know that this is a SSPX (dissenting group) church built by Gibson.

SSPX is a group of priests under bishop Lefevbre (France) that broke with Rome. Their Masses tend to be very traditional.

Fox needs to check out with the facts and tell the truth.

[Salvation]

Fox needs to know that this is a SSPX (dissenting group) church built by Gibson.

SSPX is a group of priests under bishop Lefevbre (France) that broke with Rome. Their Masses tend to be very traditional.

Fox needs to check out with the facts and tell the truth.

[Salvation]

**Is ABORTION "universally rejected" by members of the Catholic Church?**

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, yes. I cannot vouch about in practice.

But why does the left hate the Catholic Church so much? Because it is the one institution that the left cannot crack and which has stood tall and steady against the killing of the unborn.

2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:

You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.

God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.

2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.

2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.

Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence."

[Salvation]

**That's an "exclusive" church.**

And therefore it is not Catholic!

The marks of the Catholic Church are one, holy, Catholic (universal), and apostolic. Obvious Gibson's church is not open to all and so it is not universal or Catholic.

[Salvation]

**I imagine that if he didn't do this, he would have to contend with groupies showing up there**

No it is a private church and is not a part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It is NOT a Catholic Church in union with Rome.

[Salvation]

**The Pope leads an institution that Gibson no longer believes in.**

Very well stated.

[Salvation]

We can't be the judge of that -- that is entirely between Mel Gibson and God.

God knows all of our thoughts, all of our actions, the hairs on our heads..............oh, I forgot -- you are in the choir. LOL!

[Salvation]

80 percent have voted with their feet. Where did you get that figure?

[Salvation]

We keep having this discussion...............People are coming to the Catholic Church!

Catholic archdiocese of Washington [D.C.] has largest ordination class in 14 years

Roman Catholic friar community growing

Retiring priests pose problem for the Archdiocese of Boston

Church Is Still Attracting Converts

Former Anglican priest ordained Catholic priest in San Francisco

Planted in tradition Orthodox churches are gaining presence, members amongst Protestants

AM - Anglican clergy defect for Catholic Church

Archdiocese has active, engaged laity (Archbishop Burke article)

[Salvation]

Good ferreting.

[Salvation]

I read the First Reading or The Second Reading from the ambo once a month. What is wrong with a woman doing the readings? Men do it too, so I don't see the problem.

BTW, you are a baptized Catholic and, as such, are always invited back to the Church. Check around at the different diocese in New Jersey and find a church that has a returning Catholics progrma. I think you will get a lot of questions answered.

If it is a marriage matter, that too can be addressed, but only by the priest or deacon.

[Salvation]

What are you saying here? Are you judging any woman who might read one of the readings at a Mass?

I am just offended by your statement.

And please know that I am against having women priests!

[Salvation]

At least you saw the humor in the statement about women.

But I am guessing you do not approve of a woman being a lector or reader. Am I right?