Claudia Bartoli-McKinney, FTI

+JMJ+
Dear List,
I have been enjoying your dialogue on "The Passion of the Christ".
Just wanted to share with you that my 11 year old daughter, Catie, had the
opportunity to screen the film in December with a group of priests and nuns.
She came out telling me that it was more like living through an experience
than watching a film.....I would have to say that I agree with that
assessment.
I came out of the theatre literally exhausted - and I truly believe that the
film, with all of the violence, helped not only myself but my little girl as
well. Of course, each of you knows whether or not your child could handle
the graphic scenes of Our Lord being beaten, scourged and crucified....

Yes, Mel is a devout Catholic - (our family is as well) and I was overjoyed
to finally see a film with some Catholic overtones. It has been beautiful
to see the coming together of so many religions on a film....in support of
one another. I pray that it continues.
His daughter is a nun (or close to becoming fully professed) and my little
Catie hopes to join the nuns at 18 - this movie seemed to solidify her
calling" to become a sister. She has said she has wanted to be a nun since
she was 4 years old....so there must be something to her vocation. This
movie only made that resolve stronger.

Sadly, I must admit that I've been waiting to hear some of our protestant
brothers and sisters start complaining about the Catholic "overtones"....i.e
, the Blessed Mother, the scenes of the crucifixion while flashing back to
the Last Supper (where we believe Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist)
I did watch an interview on EWTN with Mr. Gibson and he said that he was
clearly trying to show the bloody sacrifice of Christ on the cross while
flashing back to the unbloody sacrifice of the altar. Very moving for me
personally.
I hate the fact that I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop
regarding other faiths and their interpretation of the film. Makes me sad
-- like why can't we just all come together on something and not start
picking it apart. Y'know?


For what it's worth, I wanted to write and share that my 11 year old saw
this movie and helped her in her faith tremendously. If any of you would
like to get Catie's direct feedback, she said she'd be happy to write to you
with her "review" so-to-speak. ;-)

Peace be with each of you!

Claudia
www.padrepiohomeschool.com






“You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness
of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we
do them.”
~ St. Thérèse

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