I am sick at heart about the hypocrisy we find all around us. It is no wonder that good people feel discouraged in the Church. Today’s headline was like a punch in the stomach: MEL GIBSON’S GIRLFRIEND IS PREGNANT! What? I was still lamenting his wife’s decision to divorce him.
A few years ago the conservative voices in the Church fell over themselves trying to make an apologia for Mel Gibson’s breakaway “traditionalist” Catholicism. Much was made of the fact that an approved priest offered the Tridentine Mass for Gibson and his associates while they filmed his movie about Christ in Italy. He was even interviewed very “gingerly” on EWTN. Many claimed that it was the fault of liberals and aberrational practices in the post-Vatican II Church which had estranged him. His PASSION OF THE CHRIST was reviled by some and praised by others. Purportedly the late Pope remarked about the movie portrayal: “It is as it was.”
The movie upset some in the Jewish community, but the same voices criticized Pope Benedict for insisting that Jesus remains the universal Savior. Gibson told Diane Sawyer: I don’t want people to make it [his film] about the blame game. It’s about faith, hope, love and forgiveness. That’s what this film is about. It’s about Christ’s sacrifice.”
The film was violent, but was probably still short of the terrible reality that constitutes crucifixion. Gibson told Sawyer that the drama was a personal testimony of faith. But there was a great disconnect in the fact that he could claim Catholicism and still ridicule the Holy See, the bishops, and breech himself from juridical unity. It was also hard to understand how a good Catholic could be party to sexual simulation as an actor.
Gibson confessed that he had been suicidal, even contemplating jumping out a window. But he turned to the Bible and rediscovered Christ. He rightly asserted that our Lord “was beaten for our iniquities.” “He was wounded for our transgressions and by his wounds we are healed. That’s the point of the film. It’s not about pointing the fingers.” Many had hoped that the film would make him a true champion of Catholic faith and values. However, it seems that the “spiritual bankruptcy” which plagued him years earlier has sought to reclaim him.
Mel Gibson is a man with many gifts and yet also terrible addictions. He is one of us, although cameras and gossip mongers follow him everywhere he goes. He admitted to problems with alcohol. He fell off the wagon and used anti-Semitic slurs against the arresting officer. He admitted to sexual promiscuity. His wife has left him and now a young girlfriend is reported as pregnant. Gibson really is in no position to criticize the Church, with or without the vernacular Mass and reforms. Gibson needs our prayers and we should let him know that the Christian community is still ready to help him.
The Church teaches that marriage is a permanent bond that lasts until the death of one of the spouses.
Jesus forbids divorce.
Fornication and adultery are listed as serious sins by St. Paul. They rob us of the kingdom of God.
After 28 years of marriage, Gibson’s wife filed for divorce. They were separated for three years. His publicist acknowledged today that his “girlfriend” Oksana Grigorieva (a 39 year old Russian musician) is pregnant. She already has a son by her former boyfriend, Timothy Dalton.
Drunkenness, fornication and adultery are faults which require repentance. Although Gibson has seven children, his latest will have to face the shame of being born out of wedlock. No priest will marry a couple if there is an existing prior bond. Gibson might have his private chapel staffed by a sede vacantist priest, but he would assuredly be told to refrain from taking Holy Communion.
My advice to Mel Gibson is to overcome your addictions and the demons which corrupt your life. Strive diligently to avoid mortal sin, repent, make restitution and seek absolution. If your marriage can be salvaged, that too should be explored. If the pieces cannot be reassembled, then you should strive for the gift of chaste celibacy. Make provisions for the new child, but part from this woman. She does not belong to you. You cannot exchange your wife for a mistress.
He gave us a great gift with his movie about Christ. He needs to know that while we are saddened and disappointed, he is still in our prayers.
Who killed Christ? When asked this question by Sawyer, Gibson answered, “The big answer is, we all did. I’ll be the first in the culpability stakes here.” Yes, his answer rings true, both then and now. The accumulative sins of all mankind throughout all human history and in every place targeted our Lord. We are the murderers of Jesus Christ. He dies so that we might live. However, his gift demands that we make a gift of ourselves. We are to surrender our talents, but also our hearts, minds and whole selves to God.
Mel Gibson loves the Mass. The Mass participates in the heavenly marriage banquet. Marriage is a sacramental covenant which points to the union of Christ to his bride, the Church. We all need to see ourselves in the Offertory and orations of the liturgy. We should see something of ourselves in the wine and bread. We offer the things of earth to be refashioned to that of heaven. Just as we ask that these gifts be changed, so too we beseech God to transform us ever more and more into the likeness of his Son. The one element missing from THE PASSION was the offering of ourselves with Christ, grafted to him, as a pleasing oblation to the Father. We must become spiritually one with the Lamb of God. God became a man so that men might by grace share in something of the divinity— eternal life.
What a contradiction. I use to like Mel.
Not any more.
I’d be satisfied if he’d just stop driving drunk.
I must admit to depressing feelings of demoralization when I read yet another story like this…..
I know faith tells us that Christ will be with His Church forever, but who is with Christ in that Church? Again He seems to be left alone…..
It’s very sad. I fear that religion is all but irrelevant even to those who do go to Mass. (or any such religious service)
It seems to me that even when an individual tries to live a God-centered life, the “culture” acts as a kind of sticky anchor that weighs & wears one down – often without one noticing…. so that it’s impossible NOT to be influenced by it.
The Church herself sadly seems to be increasingly influenced by modern culture, and seems to have lost the ability to exert an influence upon the wider society.
I wish I knew how to fix my self & the world…
Like all of us humans , Mel is human and being human means we are all sinners. Mels gift to us is the movie called The Passion. The Passion Of Jesus Christ was a contradiction when it happned and will continue to be so. We need to pray for Mel. we are all sinners he did a good thing by making the movie. The media hates him for that, casue they hate Christ and his passion, they dont understand it and dont want to either
Mel Gibson said, “There is no salvation for those outside the Church … I believe it. Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She’s a much better person than I am. Honestly. She’s, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it’s just not fair if she doesn’t make it, she’s better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it.”
Huh? He was confusing then and perplexing now.
PopEater had a Source which reported that Gibson went off about the gossip at his private church, Holy Family:
“Gibson paced back and forth, furiously telling the congregation that he would not stand by and be judged and scrutinized. Mel got up on his stage — the altar — and went off. He tried to intimidate the parishioners by staring at everyone with his angry eyes. Mel even threatened to shut down the church if people kept gossiping about him. The bottom line is that if Mel hadn’t cheated on his wife and gotten his Russian girlfriend pregnant, there wouldn’t be much to gossip about. He created this mess, and now he’s trying to control it. Mel’s completely lost it. [His] holier than thou world is falling apart around him — all these years he’s been preaching the good holy word, and now that the wizard’s curtain has been pulled back, we find that Mel hasn’t been practicing what he preaches.”
The news media is making a lot of the fact that Mel Gibson did not have a PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT with his wife.
It should be understood that Prenuptial Agreements are FORBIDDEN in the Catholic Church. Such formal reservation or doubt violates the consent. Prenuptial Agreements invalidate marriages in the Church. YES, they are grounds for annulment if kept secret from the priest!
Many are lamenting that she might get as much as half his fortune.
Well, she is his wife. She is entitled. She is flesh of his flesh.
Mel Gibson was married in the Catholic Church. His marriage is recognized by God and the Church. Civil divorce means nothing in terms of the sacrament. Given his long-term marriage and seven children, I seriously doubt he has grounds for an annulment.
If his addictions were judged as an impediment, then the Tribunal court would also have to rule that he is still not “cured” or disposed for the sacrament at the present time. However, I think any future marriage in the Church (while his wife lives) is out of the question.
This is a teaching moment, but we should not linger on details or allow our faith to be scandalized.
Peace!
GIVE UP THE BOOZE OR ELSE! This was the ultimatum. I guess what happened is OR ELSE?
Mel said on the Tonight Show:
“My wife and I, our marriage ended three years ago and we’ve been separated ever since then. These things happen. It’s unfortunate, it’s sad, but you know she is an admirable woman… When it’s all said and done, I did a pretty good hatchet job on my marriage myself. I’m to blame. If you’re inclined to judge, put it here.”