www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Mel Gibson and Arroyo

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I saw a fascinating interview on EWTN with Mel Gibson about his movie about Christ.

Gibson said he has a priest celebrate the Tridentine Liturgy daily before they start working.

And he says he is convinced that there are definite "poltergeist" phenomena that are trying to prevent him from finishing the movie - that has led him to believe that the evil one is behind it all.

He said that Martin Scorcese asked him to play Christ in his ill-considered film, but Gibson turned him down for obvious reasons.

A fascinating interview with Mr. Arroyo.

Mel Gibson is one Catholic Christian who takes his faith seriously!

Alex

But, does he have an Icon Corner?

Has he ever heard of the Jesus Prayer?

I hope his movie comes out well. I don't know about the Latin and Aramaic. I guess it will be something like the old silent films. The viewers will have to watch very closely.

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

Dear Alex,

I also saw the interview. What fascinated me about it all is that Mel Gibson was a WRECK; his body language, nervous ticks and facial expressions, defensivenss, etc...Before even mentioning the phenomena, I thought "wow, he must be under attack from demons because of what he is doing". He is very brave, and I wish that everyone here would say a prayer for him..perhaps to St. Michael the Archangel for protection.

I wish I knew if there was a way that we could write to him and express our prayers and encouragement for what he is doing. Besides having to fight the 'other realm', as he put it, he is also fighting the secular world and their put downs and discouragement.

May God bless him.

In Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice,

While I am sure you are correct in your assessment of Mr. Gibson, it has been my experience that this seems to be his common behavior. Oftentimes he seems very "twitchy" and nervous. Perhaps this was just one of his normal interviews.

Logos Teen

Interesting man, Mel. He has built a chapel for the use of a sedevacanist group he belongs to (that split from a SSPX chapel). He is now producing a film on Christ entirely in Latin and Aramaic. His Dad refers to the Pope as "Koran Kissing Karol".

the sedevacantists get curiouser and curiouser!!

[I refuse to patronise any project of Mr. Gibson's, including this forthcomming film.

The overt Anti-Semitism of his father ( a leader in this Sede-Vacantist group) and presumably of Mr. Gibson himself is unacceptable in any form.

Not to mention the insults and lies they are propagating aginst the Holy Father.

I'm very surprised EWTN would have anything to do with this.

Michael

I haven't been following this totally, but from what I believe I had heard, Mr. Gibson distances himself from his father's beliefs and statements.

Brethern,

Please review the following article regarding the criticism of Mel Gibson's movie. Also,be advised that it is a Traditional Catholic site.

www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2003Mar/marlam.htm [dailycatholic.org]

In Christ,
James

Thankyou for this informative article.
Indeed, it is not Mel Gibson being crucified here, but Christ, yet again.

I for one am glad there are people like Mel Gibson in Hollywood. I go out of my way to support his efforts.

As for his supposed "anti-semitism", I have never heard such charges leveled or substantiated against him. Given the filth and overtly anti-Christian material that comes out of Hollywood, that is the least of my concerns.

Columcille

Dear Columcille,

Yes, I don't understand criticisms of Mel Gibson.

I know he is a very traditionalist Catholic and I applaud him for witnessing to traditional spiritual values, without trying, at once, to canonize him.

(I've heard many Latin Catholics express their discontent with the Pope over the Koran-kissing thing as well, but that doesn't mean I'd boycott any movies they'd produce)

What he has done publicly in terms of affirming religious values can only help the cause of the Church and of Christian believers everywhere.

That makes him "O.K." in my books.

Alex

Dear to Christ Sarum,

The Sins of a Father are inherited to the son.

Judge Mel by his own actions and his own words.

I have not heard of any anti-Semitism by Mel, or uncharitable words re: the Holy Father from him either.

Mel is a peculiar type of Sedevanctist, he funds a parish for them on one had, but will freely attend a Licit Mass, as long as it is Tridentine (something his Hutton Gibson would NEVER do)

He also has a staff of Jesuit scholars as advisors on the film to insure it is Authentic (Catholic) as well as authentic (historic)

So, in Christian kindness, judge the man by his own works, not that of his father.

Yours in Christ,

Brendan

Is he a Sedevacantist or "just" a SSPX-type schismatic? I've seen SSPX documents that claim Mel as one of their own.

I've yet to see anything where the man himself says he's anything other than a "traditional Catholic".

And I agree with our dear brother Scotus. Mel should not be held accountable for the things his father says.

I beleive the chapel he built and maintains is sedevacanstist. Also, while a strong anti-papal traditionalists, Mel has steered away from most of the "culture wars" aspects of other traditionalists.

Axios

Dear Brethern,

There are several different groups of Traditional Catholics,some who seperate themselves from Rome others who are in "communion" with Rome and the Holy Father but voice there unhappiness with Vatican II and the changing of the Traditional Mass,Rubrics,Sacred Canon. Maybe the word traditional should be replaced with "orthodox" making it "Roman Orthodox Catholic". Of course I am of the opinion of the later.

In Christ,
James

Dear James,

Niech bedzie pochwalony Jezus Christus!

"Orthodox Roman Catholic" sounds great to me . . .

Certainly, "Orthodox" as a term still is part of the official nomenclature of Roman Catholicism, just as "Catholic" is of the Orthodox Church.

Then there is that beautiful term "Orthodox Greek Catholic" that seems to unite the best of both worlds .

But the problem with "Orthodox" is that there is no one or no group that considers itself anything else but . . .

Alex

Pozdrowiena, my Spiritual Brother Alex ,

Yes,true it does sound good. We Roman Orthodox do struggle to keep tradition alive in the Roman Rite .

I don't know how you juggle work,posting etc but you are very Blessed indeed Brother .

I'm trying to locate a document that states the Latin Mass was not eliminated,but was to be used as well as the "Modern" one. In the document it states that the latin was misinterperted.

In Christ,
James

Okay. Want me to write you one.

Brother Axios,

I take some offence with your remark,how would you feel if someone changed or eliminated your way of worship that had be used traditionally for years upon years.

Review these articles to see how I feel,and please respect it.

www.catholicrestoration.org/compare.htm [catholicrestoration.org]

(Compares the old mass vs the new mass)

www.theuniversityconcourse.com/VI,2,11-12-2000/shorttakes.htm [theuniversityconcourse.com]

(Eastern Christianity & Western Liturgical Reform)

I am sure I could list more but do not have the time or patience.

James

Logos,

I echo your remakes, Gibson does seem "twitchy."

Being a chain smoker and coffee fiend as Mel is purported to be would certainly keep one on the jittery side.

It does not sound great to me for two reasons.

1) By applying this label to the Tradition Latin crowd you are saying that those Roman Catholics who attend the current Latin Rite are somehow not orthodox.

2) I think for one to be an orthodox believer in the Latin Church, one must follow the edicts of their patriarch, the pope, and thier bishops. By holding to the Latin Mass, and at times attending it outside of the Catholic Church, can they truly be said to be doing this?


David