Bruce S Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 . . . well for one, Mel Gibson is about as Catholic as I am now... Can you repudiate everything that the Catholic Church has done for the past 40 years and still claim to be a Roman Catholic? Just wondering what our members might have to add on this thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popestpiusx Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 It's not so much that he repudiates it. Doctrinally he believes as all good Catholics do. The last forty years did not change a single doctrine (despite popular opinion). So doctrinally he is fine as far as that goes (unless someone has evidence to the contrary). Liturgically he acts as if the last forty years did not happen. So what! So do I practically. I almost never attend the Novus Ordo, and I am talking 2 or 3 times a year max. Usually only for funerals (which are especially banal in the Novus Ordo). Mel saw the chaos of the last forty years and decided the safest thing for his soul (and his family's) was to go with what he knows. The Church prior to the council had a certain apparent permanance or immutability. It was stable and very attractive (though not without its problems of course, but compared to today...). I think this is what Mel is holding to. I, for one, sympathise with it. Does that make me less Catholic? There is a famous quote thrown around in trad circles: We are what you once were. We believe what you once believed. If you were right then, we are right now. If we are wrong now, then you were wrong then. Of course that is way over simplified, and probably quoted incorrectly, but you get the point. To answer the original question: Yes, Mel is Catholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Does he [i][b]personally[/b][/i] repudiate everything that the church has done for the past 40 years or is it that the (incredibly anti 'The Passion') media have attributed comments related to his father's opinions to him, and seen his refusal to 'condemn' his father's views as meaning he supports them? Since he is all too aware of how manipulative and destructive the media can be, I'm not surprised he is silent on the matter concerning any differences of opinion he may have with his father. What I do know, after having seen 'The Passion' last night for the first time, and witnessing the very visible emotional reaction from a British cinema audience, who are not normally given to expressing such reactions in public, is that he has made an incredibly powerful film which I am sure the Holy Spirit is using to bring people to an understanding of Jesus that they have never experienced before. The arguements in the media concerning his personal feelings about the church are disingenuous - you have to reflect on what exactly is their hidden agenda, and personally I think it's an attempt to undermine the film rather than a reflection of the truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XIX Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 My understanding is that Mel just goes to Latin Mass all the time. And that the Pope recommends the Latin Mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Bruce--with all due respect, please provide evidence that Mel Gibson "repudiates everything the Church has done for the last 40 years" before throwing around these accusations. Preferring the Tridentine over the Novus Ordo is one thing--what you are claiming is quite another. God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.SIGGA Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 [quote name='XIX' date='Mar 30 2004, 08:53 AM'] My understanding is that Mel just goes to Latin Mass all the time. And that the Pope recommends the Latin Mass. [/quote] In his own Traditionalist Parish outside the Archdiocese of Los Angeles which is kinda sketchy. Cardinal Mahoney was corrected by Rome to allow the tridentine mass and Gibson should submit to his bishop, and attend the indult masses of his Archdiocese, like Martin Sheen does. Gibson is almost a Protestant because he is actively protesting against the authority of his bishop. If I did this locally in my Archdiocese I would certainly be excommunicated and this type of behavior is a bad example for the rest of the Church faithful. He made the BEST movie of all time though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicAndFanatical Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Yea I have to agree. He is borderline prot. I mean come on he's building his own parish?? Thats not right. I do like Mel, his movies are great and the Passion was the best I have ever witnessed. Its good he still holds to the teachings of the Church, even to the Blessed Mother. But building his own Church, going against Bishops and the Holy Father is too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 [quote name='dUSt' date='Mar 30 2004, 09:55 AM'] Bruce--with all due respect, please provide evidence that Mel Gibson "repudiates everything the Church has done for the last 40 years" before throwing around these accusations. Preferring the Tridentine over the Novus Ordo is one thing--what you are claiming is quite another. [/quote] All I can say is talk to Carson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce S Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 [quote]Gibson is almost a Protestant because he is actively protesting against the authority of his bishop. If I did this locally in my Archdiocese I would certainly be excommunicated and this type of behavior is a bad example for the rest of the Church faithful. [/quote] In one respect, Mel is very "Protestant" in his PERSONAL church, wherein he, and his congregation, take it upon themselves, OUTSIDE of proscribed heirachical authority, there to worship without the ecclesiastical oversight that is the norm. So, despite HIS claim to being "Catholic" he is INTERPRETING matters regarding indepence that seem to fly in the face of the accepted order of things. Right, or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 [quote name='Bruce S' date='Mar 30 2004, 11:10 AM'] In one respect, Mel is very "Protestant" in his PERSONAL church, wherein he, and his congregation, take it upon themselves, OUTSIDE of proscribed heirachical authority, there to worship without the ecclesiastical oversight that is the norm. So, despite HIS claim to being "Catholic" he is INTERPRETING matters regarding indepence that seem to fly in the face of the accepted order of things. Right, or not? [/quote] I'm afraid you're right, Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Mel Gibson has not built his own CHURCH. He built his own private CHAPEL, which is allowed. Since none of you who are bashing Mel's Catholicity have yet to cite one source or evidence any of your claims, I'm closing this thread. God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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