We’ve heard several stories in the National Enquirer and Radar Online that seem to have insider information gleaned from parishioners at Mel Gibson’s private Traditionalist Catholic Church, the Holy Family Chapel in Malibu. In June, Radar reported that Mel made a ranting speech during Sunday services, in which he “paced back and forth, furiously telling the congregation that he would not stand by and be judged and scrutinized.” This was of course after he went public with the news that he was expecting a baby with his mistress, despite the fact that he was still married. Mel’s church isn’t your typical Catholic church, and doesn’t recognize changes made by the Vatican in 1962. The church doesn’t even grant annulments, although Gibson is rumored to have obtained one.
Now Gibson seems to be trying to clamp down on potential moles in the congregation. Radar Online has obtained a special sign up form required of all new parishioners in which they’re advised that it’s a private church and that they can be barred at any time:
RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned that Mel is changing the way things work at his Holy Family Chapel and making worshipers fill out a one-page application to get their names on his Invitation and Security list.
RadarOnline.com has exclusively obtained the document.
According to the sign up sheet, the “application must be accepted by security in order to gain admittance” to the Agoura Hills church. The application notes that the church’s services are “not open for negotiation by guests/attendees” and that entrance to the church can be revoked at any time for any reason.
Holy control freak – what exactly is going on here? The newly required sign up sheet doesn’t list a reason for the policy change, but Mel has previously expressed displeasure with things said in church making its way into the public domain.
Some church attendees have taken a dim view of Mel divorcing his wife Robyn and now having a baby out of wedlock with Oksana Grigorieva.
[From Radar Online]
Of course church members don’t approve. Average Catholics wouldn’t sign off on a guy leaving his wife for his pregnant mistress, and this is an offshoot so strict that they don’t believe that annulments should be granted. If Mel wanted to avoid gossip he either shouldn’t have left his wife in the first place, or barring that he should have tried to keep his affair under wraps. Oksana probably wouldn’t have stood for that, though, so he had to choose between being ostracized by his congregation or displeasing his girlfriend. People are going to talk about him, and trying to vet new church members isn’t going to help.
Pardon me, but isn’t the idea of a church a place where anyone is welcome?
Also, aren’t church services supposed to be discussed after the service? What is the point of any of it if you make rules and regulations on the people that attend your church.
He is really getting on my last nerve. Nothing can erase or cover up what he has already said and done. He needs to be a big boy and just own his reputation and accept that he cannot make people change their opinions of him.
Mel is like all conservative fundamentalist everywhere–they have a strict, judgmental moral code that applies to everyone around them–except themselves.
So I probably wouldn’t be allowed to join the Holy Temple of Sugartits? Awww, damn. I’m crushed.
Anyone attending Mel Gibson’s hack sermons ought to fill out a mental health survey while they’re at it. Dude’s a totally flaky hypocrite.
It’s not a ‘private’ church. The building might be privately owned but the RC Church isn’t (now is not the time for debate about the Vatican, you know what my point is). This church is either Catholic or it isn’t. Unless Gibson’s started his own religious sect which the Vatican wouldn’t recognize anyway.
Parishioners should tell Mad Max to cram his application up his crap-hole and contact the local Diocese.
Ok. I want to join his church so I can be the mole to the gossip rags. Because this is amusing.
I’ve heard of churches that make you complete an application to join. It’s a major turn off.
I cannot even imagine a church making anyone fill out an application!
It’s a place to worship, not a place to work.
Wow his cult, sorry his church is sounding like the Jim Jones church, why should he be policing the church policies if he is only a member? He sounding more like a Cult Leader, and for the people to go and sit in his church and claimed they are doing “God’s work” are a bunch of hypocrites.
Thou shall not commit Adultery……
I never understood Mel’s church. How can it be private and why is he allowed to make up so many rules? It’s really bizzarre.
“Unless Gibson’s started his own religious sect which the Vatican wouldn’t recognize anyway.”
Bill, from what I understand that’s actually the case. Their sect doesn’t recognize the Vatican and the Vatican doesn’t recognize them. Mel can pretty much do what he wants.
I’m curious about who would actually want to join his church after all this.
This Church isn’t Catholic the way Westboro Baptist Chruch isn’t Baptist. I hate the way Mel goes around using the Catholic title to legitimize his little cult. To me it’s like calling Scientology calling itself a church.
Is there a credit check too?
In a way I can understand Mel’s want for this (don’t hate.. here me out)
Think about it. What do you think the ratio is on actual church goers vs paps?
I have to say that this is the most judgmental group ever. I guess all of you have never done anything wrong in your miserable judgmental lives and all could be proudly exposed in miserable rags like the Enquirer. No what he has done is not right – but it’s not up to anyone to judge him and further “let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ – ever heard that one all you perfect, righteous, oh and kind people. Do any of you know how much he gives, no and why, because he doesn’t go around telling the world about it – he does it quietly. What about the FACT that he paid for the surgery, cares for and supports the conjoined Guatamalan twins that were separated a few years ago? As far as his Church goes, it is on private property and countless times people have infiltrated just to SELL a story – they don’t go there to worship God in the traditionnal Catholic faith – no they go there to make a buck – and yet you don’t call them the parasites that they are. No, you just tear Mel to shreds -it’s beyond disguisting – all of you are. I believe he has the right to try to keep people like that away – and that’s all and anyone in his position must take similar precautions. He has had stalkers there – if you recall that – look it up it’s in the court system of Los Angeles. And for the record – the police officer who arrested Mel and was later FIRED because he leaked records and also for lying – his dead giveaway was that he called women sugart*ts – and everyone knew that – but the moron included that in his report and that’s what gave him away. These are all checkable facts – but I guess everyone is too busy being moral, upright and decent to bother.
My Catholic friends are appalled by Mel’s behavior and embarrassed that he calls himself “Catholic.” This is indeed more a cult than a true religion, and I wish the media would start investigating it the way they’ve gone after Scientology. Also, it’s a colossal tax write-off for multi-millionaire Mel. I agree with Michelle that there are mental health issues here. I’m not a psychiatrist, but isn’t religious zealotry abnormal behavior? Perhaps addictive personality Mel is substituting sex and religion for alcohol.
We’re always dissing women’s looks here. Can we take a moment to discuss how this erstwhile sexiest-man-alive’s looks have gone to pot? He looks like hell. He ain’t topping anyone’s freebie five these days. It must be as sad for him as for any female fading beauty queen. No wonder he’d do anything for ego-soothing Oksana.
Seriously? I mean, who in their right minds would want to become a member of his church NOW? This man has proven that he is a hypocrite of the worst kind and has basically spit in the face of what his ‘parishoners’ were following. He is a disgrace, plain and simple and an embarrassment to himself, his family and his ‘church’s members.
ETA: Mel, I hope that the new ‘love of your life’ gets you to marry her, files for divorce, takes all your money and leaves you with nothing!
November-
I agree with you totally!
Mel is rumored to a member of Opus Dei-the super conservative and kooky offshoot of the Catholic church.
I cannot say that November has not made some pretty good points in her/his post.
As for his looks: I still think he is nice looking. Jeez, the man isn’t all jacked up with Botox and sugeries, which is what I cannot stand in the women that I comment on. Most men, not all, have the decency to age like a normal human being. I do not fault anyone for wrinkles and not looking like they did 20 years ago. It happens to us all.
Mel is a “religious fanatic” and has a serious mental/psychological illness, he has mocked God all of these years and that is why he is being judged, by God – God is not mocked, you can’t say you believe in God and in the Bible and build a church and carry on with reckless behavior because God is real and He does exists and God is going to reveal to everyone your sins and your unrighteousness. God pulled back the covers to reveal Mel’s “private life” that he wants people “to stay out of” but God doesn’t stay out of your private life because He sees and knows everything and hears every word you say, and you are judged according to what you say (Matthew 12:36-37 “But I say to you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned”) you call yourself a “Christian” then God is going to judge you to reveal who HIS people are; and if you don’t repent and correct yourself (which is judging yourself) then your iniquitys (your nakedness) will be exposed for everyone to see and you will be brought to shame. So, the “gossip” and exposure and ridicule and criticism Mel is getting from people is not that people have not forgiven him it is a result of GOD judging him because he has not judged himself; Mel is not forgiven by God because he has not repented (repentance is in the heart not words spoken). Mel’s problem is that he is being rebellious, he is fighting God, and not wanting to be corrected and disciplined; he is making mockery of God and God will not stand for it. Mel’s church has been a mockery of God and God will destroy it to show the world that God is not to be mocked. Galatians 6:7-8 “God is not mocked whatever a man sows that shall he reap, for he that sows to the flesh OF THE FLESH YOU REAP CORRUPTION…” that is why you are getting OLD Mel Gibson, and that is why your health is failing and you are being divorced and criticized. Mel you named your baby Lucia which means “light” but that light is a false light because Lucia’s eyes were gorged out because she was spiritually blind, she had no revelation, no insight. That was a sign for generations to come to show people that she was false and spiritually blind and her “church” was blind. Mel you have religious spirits (demons) in you and you need to get them out. Mel’s church needs to be torn down; I hope Robyn fights to sell the land and have that place destroyed
Firestarter… I agree with you, that Mel is still a good looking man, he has aged naturally. Put him with a bunch of other men his age, and he still stands out. Far better to have personality wrinkles than a frozen forehead and that “stretched to the gills” look! lol
SusieQ, madear, *YOU* are sounding a wee bit fanatic!!
I don’t think Mel is a religious fanatic, he just wants to be allowed to practice his traditional Catholicism in peace. He prefers the Latin Tridentine mass,(a mass the right to which was NEVER abrogated by Rome) and as he has the resources, he built a chapel, not a church..it is not a parish, which would give all Catholics the right to attend Mass there. It is on private property, and he certainly has the right to protect himself and his family from trouble makers and those who wish to sponge off him so they can sell their gossip stories to the tabloids.
How many of you allow all and sundry to come onto your property, just because they want to??? He has, up until now, been extraordinarily generous with those who wanted to attend Mass there. But the result of that has apparently been, that some people have come just to harvest what scandal they could and spread it about.
I am not defending his recent scandalous behaviour. I think it was wrong; but since when does that give people the right to tear at him like they have a right to any piece of him they please? The man is not a monster; he is a flawed human being just like every other person on the planet.
*looks around*
Did I just stumble into church?
November and Clarify I agree with both of you, but, I think Mel called the police woman that name at the station in front of other witnesses, could be wrong.
My church has applications, too. If you want to receive the weekly envelopes. But anyone can come to hear the Word.
He’s totally turning into South Park Mel.
I think most of the hatred towards Mel stems from his recent hypocritical behavior. He starts a morally strict Church, making his own rules, then breaks them by cheating on his wife and getting another woman pregnant. Do you think he apologized to the congregation for breaking his own rules and stopped judging all other Chruch members who slip up too?
The problem is that HE invented this sect, but he’s only human. Yet he insists on having stringent moral policies that even he can’t follow. I’m sorry, I’m sure he’s done good in his life, but I can’t like him after all that. Judge not lest ye be judged.
Omg, speaking of hypocrisy, I can’t believe the same people who pile on to girls like Lohan every day defend this man’s appearance. He’s a creased, bloated mess — an effect drinking and bile will tend to create.
If we’re gonna be shallow and judgemental, let’s at least be gender-neutral and across-the-board about it.
He thinks he is Henry VIII…
@mockingbird, well, at least this divorce is going better than the majority of Henry’s did!
@Emily thank you for allowing me to laugh my ass off today.
I think he is hypocritical and while I can’t deny he may have done some good (or a lot) in the past (or recently)it is his current childish hypocritical behavior that has gotten most people up in arms.
And the fact that his arresting officer got fired for leaking evidence or whatnot has nothing to do with the fact that Mel was atrocious, breaking the law and spouting hate and intolerance.
While he technically has the right to have his own “church” or whatever you’d like to call it (from this point on, i myself will refer to it as a cult), it is the fact he has brazenly set these rigid standards and has booted people out for not following them but continues to publicly flaunt them in every way.
I despise him for those reasons and those reasons alone. yes, i myself am a hypocrite (we all are, and if you claim you aren’t well there’s your proof), but i do not go around ordering people to following my rules and then break them myself or spout of intense intolerance and hate over a specific group of people (i hate individuals of all races equally).
It is those exact traits/qualities which has made so much of America despise this man. I haven’t not seen a Mel Gibson movie in years nor will i, because I refuse to support this man.
.end scene.
@November…If anyone’s “judgmental” it’s Mel, who, over the years, has made disparaging remarks about gays, women and Jews, and told an interviewer that his wife couldn’t go to heaven because she’s not Catholic. I’m not perfect, but I’m not a religious zealot or hypocrite. I haven’t made almost a billion dollars by fraudulently selling myself to the public as a devout Catholic and devoted family man. I’ve yet to see any sign of embarrassment, shame or remorse from Mel. He is not a victim of the press or people like me who are tired of his b.s. IMO a little bit of humility goes a long way. A simple “I screwed up and I’m sorry” would be nice.
Honestly, the fans who try to defend Mel by asking the board if WE have ever done anything wrong, are saying a mouthful about themselves and their low expectation of others. Of course we have. But have we wronged in the extreme, and/or continuously? Are we as hypocritical and deceptive as Mel has been??? The answer from any reasonably healthy person will be a resounding NO. So please stop using this facile argument. I agree the man probably needs some help, but his greatest defenders will only help make him worse.
This is certainly NOT a pre-Vatican ll Catholic church and if it can’t exist as one bc of whatever logistical interferences, it ought to be shut down rather than pervert Catholic practices. However I wonder if it’s just an insane way for Mel and Hutton and whomever else, to act out some sick kind of control issues. IIRC it is on a cult watch list somewhere. If parishioners are bothered by practices there, give your accounts to a group like cult watch. But stay away from Cult Awareness Network (CAN) they’re now owned by Scientology (talk about insidious.)
About Mel’s charity work, well of course it’s great that he gives generously. But remember, he’s rich and in part, has amassed his wealth by selling a public image, which is a sharp departure from his reality. Don’t forget the many unsung heros. The many who give their time to groups like Amnesty International, the local soup kitchen, volunteer paramedics, devote 2 years of their lives to the Peace Corp, living in deprivation, while assisting and training wherever they are needed, on the front lines. And some have lost their lives doing it. I’m not taking away credit where it’s due, Lord knows there are enough people in the world that can use all the help they can get, but everything has a context.
Some people here have a lot of presumption by demanding an apology from Mel Gibson for the problems in his personal life. Get a grip!
This so-called “application” is just a registration form with name and contact info.
@Celebitchy…even the strictest Traditionalist Catholics believe in annulments because annulments are very traditional. However they usually think that annulments should only be granted in more limited circumstances.
@BillHicks @Beth @Susette..He’s treating the church like a private chapel instead of a parish. Private chapels are allowed in Catholicism, but Gibson still is supposed to be registered in a parish. The Vatican doesn’t need to “recognize” private chapels, but the priests should be in good standing with the local diocese. My guess is that Gibson is not enrolled in a parish and that at least some of his priests are on bad terms with their bishops.
@Soxfan…Mel is not a member of Opus Dei and Opus Dei is not an offshoot of the Catholic Church. Traditionalist Catholics generally disapprove of Opus Dei and Opus Dei does not support the Tridentine mass movement.
@November…The sheriff’s deputy (James Mee) was investigated but not fired. The prosecutors concluded that a crime was committed but that there wasn’t enough evidence to charge and convict him. Also, Mee didn’t mention “sugartits” in his arrest report. TMZ reported that they had a law enforcement source (probably James Mee), and this anonymous person told TMZ that Mel said sugartits.
Mel doesn’t owe a public apology to anyone, except perhaps his family, and that is their own private business.
CathyT is right, it is a PRIVATE chapel. He doesn’t have any obligation whatsoever to have it open to the public; when he did, malicious people took advantage of him and his generosity and caused all sorts of trouble by leaking stories to the press. What makes you think he is obligated to allow anyone to come at will?? That is absurd.
Regarding his sins, yes, they are public and I personally deplore them. But it is not my place or anyone else’s to tell him what he must do and how to do it. That is between Mel and God. Y’all ought to get your noses out of his conscience, and mind your own… no-one is perfect.
Heh, Blitz, you accuse Mel of “perverting Catholic practices” and imply it is a cult! Just what do you base this on?? The priests celebrate the traditional Latin Tridentine Mass as it has been celebrated for centuries. They show no signs whatsoever of being a cult or having a cult mentality with the mind control that goes along with it. They basically just want to have their Mass in peace, and they mind their own business. On the other hand, there are loads of invasive people who are at them constantly, getting whatever rewards they can for leaking personal stories to the press and whatever other favors they can manipulate.
A lot of people here assume Mel was a hypocrite when he made the Passion, as his personal life was not as it should be. Ohhh, right, so all of us should attempt to do no good until we are SAINTS. It is apparent Mel struggles with some serious “personal demons” and he has fallen many times. So does that mean he is not allowed to do good works?? Does that mean when he does something good for others that he is a hypocrite because his own life is not “perfect”? Of course not.
And finally, I am not a “fan”. I find that word insulting in the way it is being used, as it implies a mindless acceptance of anything a star does. Nothing could be further from the truth.
@ clarify I say that partly on the basis of a discussion with people who attended that chapel and also thought it was mighty strange that Mel handles things that his priest should. Like announcing to fellow worshipers the rules of ethical conduct amongst themselves in the chapel for starters, along with the by invite only policy. All this in the chapel itself, after mass with everyone still seated. These people thought it was very inappropriate, and left for good after that. Someone has also claimed the women are encouraged to say prayers that are not actually prayers. Is there any member here that’s aware of anything like that?
I’m not asking Mel to apologize for problems in his personal life, and I understand that his chapel is private. What bothers me is that he’s been exposed as a hypocrite and a fraud and this is not being addressed. From Day One of this scandal Team Mel has sugar coated everything. Now his defenders are painting him as some sort of victim of the media, especially those like TMZ that aren’t controlled by his PR people, and “judgmental” people like me. I’m willing to bet that when Mel finally does talk to the press he’ll be “outraged” that he’s been “attacked” and “vilified,” instead of taking responsibility for his actions. I’m neither Catholic nor religious so I don’t understand many of the theological references in some comments. But as I stated in my first comment my Catholic friends have told me that what’s transpired in Mel’s life over the past couple of years is not accepted by their Vatican-sanctioned faith.
I’m a Roman Catholic and it seems that Mr. Gibson’s religious preferences are much more “temporal” than “spiritual”. You don’t need a “private chapel” to worship GOD. The Holy Spirit will openly embrace and comfort you, anywhere. All you have to do is invoke the name of Jesus or The Holy Trinity. A Latin Mass does not make communing with GOD more sacred. Even Jesus had problems with Jewish Church leaders who “blindly adhered to dogma” rather than “the spirit of the law”.
Operating a Catholic Church not aligned with any legitimately accepted ecclesiastical authorities is nothing more than a “time bomb” waiting to explode. The necessary “checks and balances” are not in place and such an environment is “ripe for abuse”.
When Mr. Gibson opened his “private chapel” to the public he should not have expected whatever events that have transpired within it to remain private. To do so, is simply “unrealistic”. People will be people and if he were to “hand pick” every member and entirely close it to the public, information is still going to be leaked to the press. He’s a high profile figure, times are hard and gossip sells. Furthermore, there are probably many people within his congregation who don’t agree with him and leaking information to the press is a sure fire way of letting him know without confronting him directly.
In order to ensure his privacy, Mr. Gibson should build a much smaller chapel on “his own” property and worship there. Doing so would give him unrestricted control over who comes and goes without hurting anyone’s feelings. It’s not unusual for churches to ask visitors to “voluntarily” submit contact information. However, when it becomes “compulsory” in order to attend; what’s the point in opening the church to the public in the first place? A church is a place of “community worship” and at this point in his life; he may feel much more comfortable worshiping in a much more private setting. All he’s doing is “creating more hostility” that he should be avoiding.
@blitz I too know people who attend there.
While it might not have been the most savvy thing to do, to get and talk to the congregation after Mass, he was not usurping the role of the priest; rather he was attempting to control a bad situation. I am not at all defending his wrongdoing with his mistress; but his reaction of upset with church goers selling information to malicious tabloids is to me, perfectly understandable.
And, as it is his own chapel, on his own property, he can invite or ban who he pleases. They have no RIGHT to go there, they can attend by his good graces. It is not up to the priest to form a guest list.
@Uzi I think getting to the root of what you are saying , is that Mel “owes” people an apology. Why do you think this? He doesn’t owe the public ANYTHING. As a Catholic, he needs to make his peace before God in confession.
Are you expecting him to make a general public confession? This is what protestants might do. (Maybe because they don’t have private confession.. I don’t know.. I am Catholic).
But this idea that Mel is obliged to publicly beat his breast seems to me absurd.Since when is it everyone’s business or right to demand this??
I sure hope you aren’t defending a bottom feeder pap group like TMZ… since when do they have the “right” to set standards? ROFL
Vatican sanctioned faith??? What do you mean by that? Catholics like everyone else are obligated to live a moral life. As we are all humans, we all sin. All of us. So why the sanctimonious SUPERIORITY in their attitude towards Mel? I grant that his public sins have been shocking and I for one was quite upset. BUT it doesn’t give me the right to hold myself up as something superior and castigate him. Remember the parable about the Pharisee and the publican? This attitude is pharasaical towards Mel It’s just plain wrong.
This is all So ridiculous.
Although I agree that Mel doesn’t actually owe the public an apology, I believe it would go a long way to restore his standing among conservative Christians who would stand by him. We are suckers for repentance and redemption.
We might feel better if he were to publicly apologize, but that would open another can of worms, because there will always be people who will demand loudly for more…saying it wasn’t enough, etc.
The important thing, is that we pray for him. All these attacks do no good at all, not for the attackers or for Mel.
I think conservative Christians won’t need an apology. If we see that he has changed his ways, and lives a moral life, that will be more than enough.
I think Mel’s church ought to get into serious trouble with the IRS being it is not an open “place of worship”. That is what the paper says.
My guess is that the new registration process is to discourage paparazzi, tabloid writers/sources, and star-f***ers and also to ban those who otherwise cause trouble without singling them out. It’s similar to the internet, where requiring registration to post comments drastically cuts down on spam and trolls. If you go a step further and require actual identity (like Facebook), then commenters really start to behave themselves.
Mel clearly wants more people to go to his chapel and recognize the merits of the Tridentine mass, so he’s not trying to limit his chapel to the “worthy” as some are suggesting.
Remember that a few years ago Mel Gibson had schizophrenic stalker who attended his church. Mel got a restraining order to keep him away, but the man violated the restraining order and was sent to prison for 3 years. Mel testified that the stalker approached him at church and got into his “personal space.” With a registration list for security, it would be a lot easier to keep people like that out.
@susieqinBA…How does this violate IRS rules for non-profits? Anyone can still attend Mel’s church, but they need to register first and their attendance privileges can be revoked. How is that any different from borrowing books from a public library?
@Clarify…Perhaps Cat and Obvious said it better than I did. Sorry, you lost me with the Pharisee parable; as I said, I’m neither Catholic nor religious so I don’t know much about the Bible beyond Adam and Eve and the Ten Commandments (and I DO know that one of those is “thou shall not commit adultery”). Maybe this bothers me so much because I have very high moral standards. For instance, I’m single, and would never knowingly get involved with a married man, so I have a very bad opinion of a woman who does and the man that cheats on his wife with her…any couple, not just Mel and Oksana. I also feel that a priest, pastor or someone who runs/owns a church should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us. If you’re gonna talk the talk, you better walk the walk!
Clarify, well said and I agree with everything you’ve said.
@Uzi:the Bible is not about “do’s” and “don’ts” this is what religion does and God is not in ANY religion. Jesus’ opposers were not those who were IN church but the ones who came against Him and wanted Him crucified were the leaders of the local church because His witness came against the church’s doctrines and beliefs. What the Bible speaks about and teaches from beginning to end is God living AND abiding in your HEART (not your mind). This is what Jesus testified of but the people did not want God in their hearts to live under conviction (which is not condemnation) of the Holy Spirit (to be corrected and disciplined that we may be His people). The Christians have erred tremendously in their teachings because they teach about “being a Christian” and no where in the Bible does God teach about “being a Christian” or “being” anything. See, this is the testimony, this is the witness, if God is living and abiding in your heart then you do not desire to do harm to others, you do not desire to lie, cheat, commit adultery, molest kids, kill, steal, be vulgar and speak profanity. You CAN’T do these things because your heart is ruled by God (which is why there will be a FEW people who will show to be His, it will not be a majority).
Mel Gibson is fighting God and does not want to be under conviction because of his pride/ego. I believe his pride is soooooooooo high that he is extremely paranoid about his image and he is trying to control people’s opinions by having only those people who will say good things about him and not confront him with correction; I don’t think he can deal with negativity, but if his behavior and actions were appropriate then people wouldn’t be gossiping as they are now. Why all of a sudden after all these years he hasn’t done something like this before? Because God is bigger than him and there is no heart that is too hard that God can’t reach and rather Mel likes it or not he is coming under conviction of God and he will have to either accept Him or reject Him.
at first i thought, well it is his private chapel…until i read he received 42 million in tax gifts for his church…not chapel….so is it his private chapel or private church receiving tax cuts..???? so anybody can have a private church and receive tax cuts for it???
then i will start building a little building in my back yard… hmmmmm
@Linda K…Yep, this is one huge tax shelter. The land alone is worth mega-millions. Robyn is the vice president of the foundation that runs it, so I wonder how everything will be divvied up in the divorce. I doubt she wants to have anything to do with the crazy church now that she’s getting rid of the crazy man-whore!
this is so weird……i can see if you have this church or what ever you want to call it….and have people of the same belief come to it…cool….but then take tax shelter in it…..ok mel you can have it….regulate who comes…but no tax shelter…that’s fair…
The A.P. Reilly Foundation (aka the tax shelter) and Holy Family Church are not one and the same. They are different entities, although the APR Foundation owns the property of HFC.
This arrangement doesn’t raise any tax problems because the APR Foundation isn’t spending any money/distributing any funds yet. In other words, Mel buys the church property and building and then donates them to the foundation. He doesn’t donate money to the foundation in order to have the foundation fund for the church. The salaries for the HFC priests and other HFC upkeep expenses are not being paid by the APR Foundation.
All of this can be verified by checking the 990 forms at GuideStar.org
so if he has donated them to the foundation,,,,is it his?
so if he donated it to the foundation…is it his????
It depends what you mean by “his.” Mel and Robyn control the foundation, but there are restrictions on how they can allocate the assets. The Gibsons would probably get into tax trouble if they donated APR Foundation assets to their children, but they could donate the assets to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the American Red Cross, or the American Atheist Magazine, for example. Bottom line is that they control what is done with the property, and for now Mel is quite content to rent the APR Foundation property (gratis?) to HFC.
@Cathy T…Whatever…I don’t have any legal or financial expertise, but to me it still sounds like a colossal tax shelter that all super wealthy people, not just the Gibsons, are able to pull off. The fact that it involves “religion” makes it even more deplorable in my book.
L Ron Hubbard would be proud.
Sorry to say, Mel Gibson should be under excommunication or interdict right now according to Canon Law, which he knows is true. He owns the church and property, but if I were a pastor with his church, I’d tell him to straighten out and fly right, or I’d have to leave. He would probably think it over, at least. Everyone is stepping on eggs over there, and he needs someone to give him a good slap to wake him up. He thinks he can do anything he wants, because he holds the purse. No Mel, you can’t commit adultery, and expect to make it to Heaven. You also can’t make movies which are impure and call yourself a Catholic. Sure, the Passion of the Christ was a good movie, but that doesn’t entitle you to special privileges with God. He will judge you for what you’ve done against His commandments. Please, for your own sake, ask for Conversion, leave the Russian, go back to Robyn, and straighten out your priorities. Pax!
Mel Gibson is crazy, he used to be such a huge movie star and a greatly admired family man. He has gone down in flames, even the mistress has dumped him, what a loser, the DUI’s, the anti-semitic remarks, the crazy holocaust denying father….the cult-like faux catholic chapel…HE IS NUTS. if he starts giving out Kool-Aid the members of that church better run for the hills!!