Parishioners of diocese view passion movie

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
March 18, 2004

"The Passion of the Christ" has become an educational tool for many parishes in the Diocese of Sioux City. Parishes have decided to take groups such as high school students and adults to see the movie.

On March 4, 44 high school students enrolled in religious education at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda and their four teachers traveled with Kerry Noethe, DRE, and Father Tom Hart to view the movie in Storm Lake.

"Powerful, I think that was the word used most," said Noethe of the common reaction to the movie. "It did reinforce the suffering that Christ went through for all of mankind. Most of us don't understand the impact of the physical suffering involved with scourging and crucifixion, the brutality of it was really brought home to those that saw it."

One of the high school catechists suggested that the group go to see the movie when the publicity first started. Noethe talked to Father Hart at the request of the catechist. They felt it was important that the students should see the movie so if they had questions they would have a way of getting their questions answered, commented Noethe.

"I felt very uplifted because of the ending," said Noethe. "I was very numb up until the ending, but when they had the resurrection scene it all came together for me. I was also very moved by the relationship between Jesus and his mother."

Members from Christ the King in Sioux Center went to see a matinee showing of "The Passion of the Christ" on March 7 in Sioux Center at the Center Mall.

"I think everyone has to decide for themselves," said said Cynthia Sneller, the Hispanic DRE for Christ the King. "I did not want to see it. It might make people come away with a different attitude, negative or positive. I think everyone in their own heart has to decide if they want to view the movie."

Anyone who wanted to attend was invited to join them. Sneller noted that the theater was packed and there were only two church groups in that theater for that showing.

"Pretty much everyone walked out of there silent," said Sneller. She added that she thought everyone was in deep thought.

There was a group that met after seeing the movie and exchanged thoughts about the movie.

"It was very helpful," said Sneller. "Overall, I think everyone seemed to have a new appreciation for Christ's suffering."

The high school religious education students, freshmen through seniors, from Immaculate Conception Parish in Graettinger went to see the Passion on March 10 at the theater in Estherville.

Permission slips were sent home with the students. Parents who wanted or needed to see the movie with their child were invited to go as well. There were 34 people in all that went to see the movie.

"It was very silent afterwards and through the whole movie, you could hear a pin drop other than the sounds from the theater," said Diane Brown, DRE at Immaculate Conception. "I didn't see anyone leave the theater to go to get more popcorn or anything. The kids that rode in my van didn't say a whole lot. It was worse than what they had anticipated as far as when Jesus was being beaten."

Brown commented that the importance of going to see the movie was to "reiterate what Jesus went through." They had been going through the stations of the cross and wanted to give them a feel of what went on.

"It was hard to sit through, but yet you wanted to," said Brown. "I had so many feelings going through. I cried. I had to cover my eyes a couple of times."

People from parishes in the Greene County Cluster such as St. Paul Church in Scranton and St. Columbkille Church in Churdan as well as parishes in Lohrville and Lake City were invited to a showing of "The Passion of the Christ" on March 13 at the theater in Carroll.

Father Steve McLoud, pastor in Scranton and Churdan, mentioned that this was an ecumenical event so he also invited people from the Methodist and Baptist churches in Churdan. In all, there were about 130 people who attended.

"They were absorbing what they had just seen," said Father McLoud about the people as they left the theater. "It was a solemn atmosphere. People were quiet and a few were talking."

Father McLoud added that sometimes during movies there are conversations and other talking going on, but during this movie, the whole theater was quiet. People's attention was fixed on what was happening on screen.

"I think it was intense for many, many people," said Father McLoud. "When I came out of the theater, I didn't really have a lot to say because I was absorbed in what I had just seen and getting in touch with what I was feeling at the time."

People who viewed the movie were invited to take part in a discussion session on March 17.