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Religion See other Religion Articles Title: Mel Gibson's Holy Family Catholic Church full of riches MEL Gibson has poured another $15.2 million into his controversial private church in Malibu. US federal tax files show Gibson's Holy Family Catholic Church now has tax-free assets worth $64 million, up from $48.8 million last year. Gibson is the single contributor to the church, which has a congregation of about 70 members and follows a 500-year-old ethos. Among the church's assets are artworks with a listed value of almost $760,000. Gibson lists three major expenses for last year, including an architect and a landscaper who have done work in and around the church. He also paid a law firm $105,000 for its services. Gibson's secretive sect is not recognised by the Catholic Church because it does not acknowledge the authority of the Pope or the Vatican and rejects the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. The church's finances are impressive, particularly compared with the funds of other US religious organisations. The Archdiocese of New York's Catholic Charities organisation listed its assets at the end of 2006 as $5.1 million. That group gives millions away to charity every year. The Holy Family church's tax return documents do not indicate that they give anything away to charity. Gibson's church -- which offers a daily morning mass in Latin -- follows an antiquated ideology of Catholicism dating back to the 16th century. Female followers of Gibson's church must abide by a strict dress code, requiring them to wear veils over their hair and long skirts, with a ban on pants for women. The exclusive parish caters for about 70 members, with the existing chapel having seating for only 100 people. Over the past two years, Gibson, 52, has been overseeing the building of a much bigger Spanish mission-style church, which will seat about 400 people to expand his flock of followers. Gibson's church, launched by the actor-director in 1999, is set among lush Tuscan-style gardens and does not welcome strangers. The exclusive community -- located on a scenic hillside on the famed Mulholland Drive in the upmarket rural area of Agoura Hills -- has high fences and heavy security to prevent outsiders from visiting. The church has an unlisted phone number, keeps its address a secret and has asked members of the congregation not to release information. The church preaches that Jews are responsible for the death of Christ, with many supporters, including Gibson's father Hutton, denying the Holocaust happened. In July 2006, Braveheart star Gibson was arrested for drink-driving and caught up in an international scandal when his anti-Semitic, racist comments to arresting officers were made public. After the incident, Gibson -- who entered rehab -- was forced to make public apologies in an effort to salvage the release of his violent Mayan epic Apocalypto in late 2006. Gibson is now shooting his first movie since the scandal -- a police thriller called Edge of Darkness. Filming was disrupted when Robert De Niro dropped out -- reportedly due to differences with Gibson. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 3.
#3. To: X-15 (#0)
Damn, some return given the times. Mr. Madoff has competition. I fully expect the FedGov to throw Luther's hammer thru his stained glass window before this thing of his grows any further. I look for Mel to take another intox bust or the standard child porn charge.
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