doing a sack dance in the endzone of that game with the pointy ball and the large yummy gentlemen in

[sisyphusshrugged]

some of you may remember that I expressed some dubiety when I read Peggy Noonan's version of the Pope's endorsement of Mel Gibson's movie, insofar as I did some research and, to put it mildly, it wasn't... as it was.

Well, go me.

Although Pope John Paul II watched at least part of Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ," he made no comment about the film, said a senior Vatican official close to the pope.

"The Holy Father saw it, but he made no comment. He watched in silence," the official told Catholic News Service Dec. 24.

"The Holy Father does not comment, does not give judgments on art," the official said. "I repeat: There was no declaration, no judgment from the pope."


The official was replying to a request for clarification after numerous newspapers reported that the pope had watched the film and said, "It is as it was."

...

Another well-informed Vatican official, responding Dec. 24 to an e-mailed request for information, said, "The Holy Father saw this film, but did not express any opinion about it."

The pope's spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, has refused to confirm the supposed papal quote, which was relayed to reporters by the film's co-producer, Steve McEveety.

It's not nice to lie on the Pope, Peggy. Jesus doesn't like that.

via (the other) Roger Ailes