Welcome home, Katie
It's good to have you back
Welcome home, Katie
Finally, some good news for Team Catholic: we beat the Scientologists for Katie Holme’s affection! According to recent news reports, the more statuesque half of TomKat has just registered at St. Francis Xavier parish in Manhattan. This would give some credence to the suggestions that one of the reasons fair Katie decided to go rogue on Maverick was because she just couldn’t take being surrounded by glassy-eyed acolytes of the Science Fiction Tabernacle.
Of course, the official talking heads deny it. A joint statement issued by the couple’s lawyers emphasized that Tom and Katie wanted to ‘respect’ their ‘respective’ beliefs. Somehow, though, the civility of those sentiments is a little hard to swallow, especially when you think of how deeply involved Cruise has been in the Scientology culture. He is to L. Ron Hubbard’s boutique religion what John the Baptist was to Catholicism: loud, proud and a bit daft. Had there been sofas lining the banks of the River Jordan, it is quite possible that St. John might have jumped on one of them. As for Tom, we know what he’s capable of when excited.
As far as Katie, she never made a secret of her continued interest in Catholicism, talking about it in articles and leading everyone to believe that she hadn’t abandoned all of the tribal traditions even as she dipped some manicured toes into the scient-illogical waters. Like Nicole Kidman before her, who famously said once a Catholic, always a Catholic, Katie refused to be fully absorbed into the faith shared by rich, toothy movie stars. The young lady from Ohio was not a willing food source for the Hollywood amoeba.
Now, it may sound like I’m gloating a bit. I actually am. That’s not because I have any particular animus against Scientology, a religion that seems more like a spiritual boot camp than a legitimate faith. Who am I to question the relative virtues of another person’s beliefs, particularly since my own house is not exactly in the best order these days. What with Grand Jury indictments, outraged nuns and Alec Baldwin’s most recent marriage in a church (when I think Catholic values, I immediately think “Alec Baldwin”) we have some major problems to deal with.
But, as we approach the Olympic season, I can’t help feeling a little competitive when it comes to religious affiliation. The church has been dumped on for so long, by so many, that it’s nice to actually see someone choosing to remain with the faith as opposed to trashing it, or simply abandoning the pews. To listen to some journalists, including those who accept without question the claims of victims’ groups and defense attorneys, the church is a cesspool of pedophilia. If you even dare to defend it against attack, you have people accusing you of being an apologist for criminals (believe me, I know.)
So when someone like Katie Holmes decides to return to the faith of her childhood like a salmon swimming upstream, it’s heartwarming. At the very least, it provides proof that beyond the hype and the rhetoric thrown out there by lawyers and advocates and lapsed Catholics who want nothing more than to see the church fall apart, there is hope for us.
But you don’t really need to read the tabloids to get that. Last Sunday during Mass at St. Patrick’s, you could barely hear the priest over the gurgles and shouts and lisping tones of little ones. There was life in the pews, proof that the thing that draws Catholics home transcends the sins and crimes of flawed human beings. The mothers and fathers who brought their children to that teeming church were young, young enough to have been turned off by a decade of scandals and disappointments. And yet there they were, raising their families in the strained but unbroken circle of faith that withstands the shock and despair of cover-ups and criminality.
You might be saying, get over yourself Flowers. Just because some B level starlet decides to leave her hubby and his rocket ship theology doesn’t give you the right to say your mess of a religion is on the right track.
Actually, it does. The sex abuse scandal has been so devastating precisely because it destroyed the lives of innocent children. Trust, that most ephemeral of things, was shattered. But the fact that parents are still willing to raise their children in the church, including little Suri Cruise, is a strong sign that faith abides.
Sorry, Tom.
Scientology is the bridge to total freedom. What could be better than that. Katie is making a big mistake.— PlumberJoe
Chris, I read that Nicole Kidman was one of Katie's advisers in all this. She already knew the ropes so to speak. Good for her!!
Tom may be a charmer but he is also more than a bit strange and I never thought much of him as an actor.
Yes, this is all good news. Katie came to her senses in time to save her little girl.
Those of us who have been through all the mud slinging at our faith, regardless of the scandals, are weary of hearing how gullible we are.
I am proud of my faith. It stands above and beyond the iniquity of weak individuals. And I know you feel the same way.
Good news indeed.
8-)
— Gendres- Gendres, those who believe in Scientology believe as strongly as you do in Catholicism. Who are you to say they are wrong?— PlumberJoe
- Wow. Nice work. You got Katie Holmes. If that doesn't save the OTF cult from its downward spiral into irrelevance, nothing will.— scoobysnacks
- Scientology: A single, unaccountable, autocratic ruler that will put the interests of the Church over those of the adherents.
A wealth accumulating, image obsessed, secretive hierarchy hiding behind the walls of their compound.
Catholicism: A single, unaccountable, autocratic ruler that will put the interests of the Church over those of the adherents.
A wealth accumulating, image obsessed, secretive hierarchy hiding behind the walls of their compound.
Swap exploding volcanoes for a virgin birth, and space aliens for a magical mystic and I don't see much difference.— dc14522 - Katie Holmes (note typo in first mention of her name!) will do so much for the Catholic Church. Not.
What is she going to do--bring in $$$, or convince young women that a misogynistic religion is the way to go (God knows, after Tom Cruise's controlling ways, the RCC must seem like a breath of fresh air).
This is so incredibly stupid. I can't believe the newspaper lets Flowers write about her sick cult day after day.— sophistry - There is a huge difference between this so-called religion and the two thousand year old faith descended from Judaism and established by Jesus Christ through His apostles.
Hubbard himself declared his organization a "church" in order to gain tax exempt status (although not in every country) and charges exhorbitant fees for his services and programs.
Catholics are not charged a fee to receive the sacraments which are administered whether they donate or not. And Catholic Charities operates many missions throughout the world that help the poor, the homeless, the addicted and the sick.
If anyone wants to believe their souls once traveled to Mars or some other planet, of course they are free to do so.
— Gendres - And the pope is not unaccountable. He has nothing but moral authority to teach and cannot coerce anyone to do anything or believe anything.
Recall Stalin's cynical remark when told the pope would oppose him:"And how many divisions does the pope have?"— Gendres - Gendres, let me help you hit the mark.
Scientology is not a religion. Scientology seeks to divide the child from the parent. Scientology is harmful to the family unit.
And yes, Tom Cruise is not a gifted actor. In fact, the Road Runner puts on a better performance.— PlumberJoe - PJ, thanks but I never thought of scientology as a religion. A cult maybe, but not a religion. My faith allows me freedom of conscience and keeps the door open and a light in the window for those who stray.
Obviously, Cruise is a controlling individual and that would drive any sane person away.
I saw the first "Mission Impossible" with high hopes that were soon dashed. No one can compete with the original TV cast. We used to argue about how they manipulated reality in our philosophy classes. Wonderful stuff.
Katie is doing the smart thing. And Tom will have generous visitation rights.— Gendres - It no secret the adage "loves conquers all" is meaningless in Follywood. The marriage between Ms.mutt and Mr. jeff lasted what, a little over 5 years, enough time to initiate prenup payouts? The devil's in the details!
I, for one, don't see this as a victory for the Church or for Katie. She knew going in what to expect, especially if Tom's ex, Nicole, provided her with counsel. Part of Katie's exit strategy probably lay in the fact that at Suri's young age, she could not possibly have been indoctrinated into weird science.
Throughout the attention paid by the media to pre and post encounters, Katie was objectified by Tom. Was there really one moment when she existed from the stepford-like shell she willingly wore? I conclude that the entire marriage was a scam, one which will benfit Katie and Suri; the other which would erase doubts about rumors that adventurous Tommy was a closet homosexual.
— lefty - "scam/ sham," take your choice!— lefty
- lefty, you must be reading too many movie magazines.
I like'em with tats, top to bottom and especially on the bottom. The girls, that is. Tom can have the boys.— PlumberJoe - Gendres, my comments were not addressed at you, but with you.
However, if you care to explore Mission Impossible scenarios, cheer for the Phillies. Win or lose, Charlie will keep on chewing that gum, bubbles and all.— PlumberJoe
Email Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com Reach Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com.
