Honlam Study Center

by Mary Kochan Other Articles by Mary Kochan
Catholic Response to The Da Vinci Code is Building — with CE Leading the Way
03/10/06
		Last week a Catholic Exchange staff member and her husband went out for a movie date night. Lisa and Tim went to see the new film, Firewall, but they were not surprised to see a preview for The Da Vinci Code.
A Stunning Response They were not surprised either to see that the preview featured two minutes of fast-paced, heart-pumping excitement and suspense. They knew that the book was considered a real page-turner. They were not shocked to see a murder scene and what was supposed to be an Opus Dei monk whipping and cutting himself. They already knew that there was murder in the book and that the author, Dan Brown, egregiously and sensationally misrepresented Opus Dei — which, by the way, has no monks. They were somewhat surprised to see that the preview ended with the injunction, "Seek the Truth," since neither the author of the book, nor the producer or director of the movie, have shown the slightest interest in doing so themselves. But they were beyond surprised — they were stunned — when the preview ended and the audience erupted in rousing applause with some people even standing in enthusiastic appreciation. That is not good news. Not for anyone who cares about truth. Not for any Catholic who is concerned with the rising tide of anti-Catholicism in the culture. For Truth-Seekers The Da Vinci Code book has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for nearly three years and sold over 40 million copies in 44 languages. It has damaged the faith of millions and the movie version threatens to multiply this harm many times. Responding to The Da Vinci Code by defending the biblical record of the life of Christ is the responsibility of all Christians. But The Da Vinci Code is especially an attack on the Catholic Church, her history and her institutions. Catholics are rising to the defense of the faith and Catholic Exchange is leading the way by authoring another powerful cultural book and joining forces with other leading Catholic groups, including Ascension Press, the Catholic League, Human Life International, and others. This Catholic Coalition is entering the fray in the mainstream media, with appearances on the TodayShow, Inside Edition, CNN and MSNBC. We are getting attention with materials designed for those who really do want to seek the truth. Our 130-page book, The Da Vinci Deception, features 100 questions and answers on all the major themes, issues and errors in The Da Vinci Code. Special bulk discounts make it possible for you to get this book for as little as $2 each, a low enough price to make it the perfect book to give away to family, friends and fellow parishioners. We are also making available FREE study guides and everything you need to plan and conduct discussion groups to respond to the movie. Materials for free download include: • A plan for diocesan DREs and Adult Faith Formation Coordinators to effectively spread the truth aboutThe Da Vinci Code within the diocese. • Homily helps for priests and deacons. These points may also be used for a compelling bulletin article. • A plan for your parish with five steps to effectively spread the truth about The Da Vinci Code for your pastor, DRE, and/or Adult Faith Formation Coordinator. • A discussion guide for a "Da Vinci Discussion Night." • A four-week study guide designed for parishes and groups that want a more in-depth study of The Da Vinci Code. • A ready-made guide for Youth Ministers or anyone working with teenage youth. These are self-contained "Youth Nights" complete with games, lessons, and more! • Also available are posters and promo materials to help you advertise your Da Vinci Code discussions and events. All these materials and more are available at www.davinciantidote.com for free download. The U.S. bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign is stepping up to the plate as well by supplying NBC-TV with a documentary, Jesus Decoded, to provide accurate information about the life of Jesus and the development of the early Christian Church. Their accompanying website will help answer questions raised by the documentary, which will air the third week of May. But we have a lot of ground to cover before then. The Ripple Effect This is not the first time that Catholic Exchange has answered a Hollywood challenge to the truth. Last year Hollywood released a major film glorifying the life and legacy of the notorious zoologist-turned-sex researcher, Alfred C. Kinsey. We responded with The Kinsey Corruption unmasking the fifty-year-old campaign that continues trying to deceive the American public into believing that Kinsey was an authentic scientist whose data was credible. Every one of us knows people who have been affected by The Da Vinci Code novel and will be affected by this movie. Each one of those people will go on to influence others through remarks and conversation. While we cannot stop the poison of The Da Vinci Code from being spread, we can do our best to administer an antidote to as many "infected" people as we can. Every person who receives the antidote becomes one less soul damaged by Dan Brown’s lies and one less transmitter of the infection. Yes, the lies have been spread to millions and that number may seem overwhelming. Yes, the movie will affect many millions more. But with trust in God and a willingness to go forth in defense of our faith — along with willingness to put a bit of time and money into the effort — we can rescue many, and create a positive ripple effect that will spread from person to person across time and place and into eternity. © Copyright 2006 Catholic Exchange Mary Kochan, Senior Editor of Catholic Exchange, writes from Douglasville, Georgia. Her tapes are available from Saint Joseph Communications.