A news story in the New York Post of July 16, 2003 began by saying, "Mel Gibson's pet project 'The Passion' is doomed to box-office oblivion, insiders say…." On August 3, 2003, New York Times entertainment critic Frank Rich said, "it's hard to imagine the movie being anything other than a flop in America." Now all the experts are crying [...]
The February 25th opening of "The Passion of the Christ" was one of the most anticipated openings of any movie in American history. That it opened on Ash Wednesday made it all the more special. Advance ticket sales to the Mel Gibson film were astonishing. News reports cited many Protestant organizations buying up large blocks of [...]
On February 27, professors from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City released a report on priestly sexual abuse since 1950. In anticipation of the report, the Catholic League prepared its own report; it was released in early February. The complete document is reprinted in this edition of Catalyst. The Catholic League strongly believes [...]
Critics of the Mel Gibson movie, "The Passion of the Christ," are confounded. That's because the pope has seen the film and has extended his blessings. "It is as it was," Pope John Paul II said. Thus did he drive Mel's adversaries into a tizzy. It was on December 17 that Peggy Noonan broke the story [...]
Every December the Catholic League goes into high gear confronting those who attempt to censor Christmas. This year was no exception. Unfortunately, the long-awaited ruling on the New York City schools did not come down. So another year went by without nativity scenes in the schools; Jewish menorahs and Islamic crescent and stars were allowed. We [...]
Critics of Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of Christ," are becoming unhinged, but their smear campaign is backfiring. For example, on November 6, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) convened its 90th Annual National Meeting at New York's Plaza Hotel. One of the sessions explored the controversy over the film. Paula Fredriksen, professor of theology at Boston University, [...]
On November 13, oral arguments were heard in U.S. District Court regarding a lawsuit that maintains that the New York City school system discriminates against Christians. Suing the New York City schools is The Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Catholic League began the process and secured a complainant for the law firm. [...]
Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ" (recently retitled from "The Passion"), won't be released until Lent, but the reaction to it hasn't abated since the first salvo was launched against the Hollywood star last spring. Lining up against Gibson is the ad hoc committee of New Testament scholars, both Catholic and Jewish, who are furious [...]
There will be no "Hail Mary's Last Chance Sports and Spirits" bar in Rock Island, Illinois. Here's what happened. Two entrepreneurs, Bruce Millage and Jeffrey Guthrie, recently purchased a building that housed a former synagogue in Rock Island. They planned to turn it into a sports bar by the name, "Hail Mary's Last Chance." Their intent [...]
Over Labor Day weekend, some members of the Winnebago County Board designed a plan to tear down a Catholic Church, St. Mary's Oratory, and replace it with a new county jail. The Catholic League jumped into the fray, as did Rockford Bishop Thomas Doran, and in no time the plan was scratched. Here's what happened. On [...]
