Local Catholics assess 'Passion'

Sister Nola Brunner, CSJ, has meditated many times on what the Crucifixion must have been like. But now that she's seen "The Passion of the Christ," she realizes that her imagined version of events was "whitewashed."

"I had not dreamed of how terrible the torture had been. It was very graphically portrayed," she told The Evangelist after seeing the new Mel Gibson film. Sister Nola is vicar for religious for the Albany Diocese.

Both she and Rev. Christopher DeGiovine, who saw the movie with a dozen students and faculty from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, where he is chaplain, wanted to warn Catholics about the movie's unsparing depictions of Christ's scourging, the crown of thorns being forced onto His head and His hands being nailed to the Cross.

People "should think seriously about the immense amount of violence in the film," Father DeGiovine advised. "Knowing that, then they can make a decision."

Not anti-Semitic

The biggest question being asked about the movie is whether it might promote anti-Semitism. Father DeGiovine participated in a discussion with an interfaith group from the Capital District who also saw the movie, including three rabbis and other members of the Jewish faith (see separate statement). The group concluded that "The Passion" is not anti-Semitic.

For his own part, the chaplain said, "I did not feel it was anti-Semitic. Caiaphas was certainly a bad guy in the film, whereas Pilate comes out more wishy-washy, unsure," but he agreed with the rabbis that the movie would not create prejudice against Jews.

"I had no anti-Semitic feelings" after seeing "The Passion," Sister Nola affirmed. Though the crowd calling for Jesus' death was made up of Jews, she said the movie made it clear that "the crowd represented all of us, and our collective sins are what He redeemed."

Inaccuracies

Both Sister Nola and Father DeGiovine noted that Mr. Gibson took some artistic license in interpreting the Gospels. While much of the movie closely followed Scriptural accounts, they said, some historical inaccuracies existed:

* Mary Magdalene was portrayed as the prostitute Jesus saves from being stoned, even though modern Scripture scholars note she was not that figure in the Bible;

* Satan was present in many scenes, including standing behind Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane;

* Veronica is shown wiping Jesus' face as He carries the Cross, although she is not mentioned in the Bible; and

* Pontius Pilate was an authoritarian tyrant according to historical accounts, but the film portrays him as a weak and tortured man.

Violence

One particular inaccuracy that bothered Father DeGiovine was that at the time of Christ, even the worst scourgings involved "40 lashes minus one for mercy," yet "The Passion" shows Jesus receiving 100 lashes.

"That was the only piece that disturbed me," said the chaplain. "They used a sort of grappling hook, so the skin was literally being ripped off His body. I don't think that was necessary or historically accurate."

Women

Sister Nola and Father DeGiovine applauded Mr. Gibson's sensitive portrayal of the women around Christ, particularly His mother. "Mary was eloquently portrayed," Sister Nola declared.

In one scene often noted by viewers, the Blessed Mother, watching her Son fall on the road to Calvary, has a flashback to when He was a child and she could catch Him when He fell.

"The anguish on her face was very graphic," Sister Nola said.

Father DeGiovine added: "There was not a student [in the CSR group] who did not talk about that scene as being one of the most powerful. I got the feeling that the Passion of Christ was not only the Passion of Jesus, but the Passion of His mother and the Passion of the body of Christ, the Church."

Memorable movie

The pair agreed that "The Passion" gave them more of a sense of what Christ really went through. Sister Nola was particularly struck by the portrayal of the Roman soldiers who tortured Christ: Some enjoyed being sadistic; others seemed to be doing what they had to and weren't at all sure it was the right thing.

"I don't think I can ever read the Passion narrative [in the Bible] again without having one or two of Mel Gibson's images in my reflection on the Passion," Father DeGiovine remarked.

One closeup of Christ's face as He was tortured had particular impact on the chaplain: "It's like looking into the eyes of Christ and Christ looking back."

"It gives you a more realistic idea of what Christ suffered for us. When I meditate on the Passion, it's probably going to be a more intense experience," Sister Nola stated.

While the movie has its flaws, she believes it's the most accurate of the many movies that have been made about the life of Christ. It's also, she said, "the most intense movie I ever saw."

(The review of "The Passion of the Christ" by the U.S. bishops' film office can be read by clicking on "movies" on The Evangelist's main web page.)

(3/4/04) [[In-content Ad]]