Manhattan priest urges parishioners to see ‘The Passion’

Feb 16, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Mel Gibson’s movie “will prove to be a life-changing experience for many people,” said well known Manhattan pastor Fr. Gerald E. Murray. 

“I thank God that Mel Gibson has produced this movie which is truly a visual meditation on the price of our salvation paid by our loving God made man,” wrote the priest in a letter to his parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul in New York.

The diocesan priest and canon lawyer watched the film, “The Passion of the Christ,” at a private screening he was invited to attend last week.

“It is the most powerful movie I have ever seen. It is truly a religious experience to watch the portrayal of the suffering and death of Our Divine Savior,” he said. “Gibson has done a masterful job in this movie. I highly recommend it.

Fr. Murray disagrees that the film is anti-Semitic. “The movie shows the historical events of Christ's Passion, which involved the opposition of some, but by no means all, Jews to Jesus,” wrote Fr. Murray.

“Jesus died because of the sins of all mankind; Jesus died because of my sins. That is the message conveyed in the Gospel and in this movie,” wrote the priest.

In his letter, Fr. Murray also warned that the film is very graphic and that it may be too disturbing for youngsters. He recommends that parents only take their teenagers to see it.

The movie will be in theaters on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25.