Vatican officials attend private screening of Gibson's 'The Passion'

Published: 2003-12-09

ROME (CNS) -- Just days after Mel Gibson refused to allow his film, "The Passion of Christ," to be shown at a Vatican-sponsored film festival, several Vatican officials were invited to private screenings in Rome and a copy was sent to Pope John Paul II. It was not known if the pope had watched the film directed by Gibson. The film was shown Dec. 4 and 6 in a small screening room in Rome to invited guests, including U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; U.S. Dominican Father Augustine DiNoia, undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Msgr. Kevin C. McCoy, rector of the North American College. Gibson, whose film is set for a February U.S. release, turned down a request for a private screening of the movie at a Dec. 2 conference that was part of a film festival co-sponsored by the Vatican. Organizers of the festival said Gibson turned down the request because the film's final version had not been completed.

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