Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (Gibney, 2012)

Last updated on: March 5, 2015 at 7:55 pm by Kenneth R. Morefield

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (Gibney, 2012) 2015-03-05T19:55:42-05:00 Kenneth R. Morefield

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One of the more painful moments in a film that is filled with heartbreak comes when a man, molested by a priest as a child and ignored by his denomination, goes to a cabin to confront the man who raped him. Although the priest admits, in a chillingly off-handed matter, that he did it (it was a long time ago, he is sorry), his housekeeper chastises the victim.

“Are you a Catholic?”

During a Q&A at the Toronto International Film Festival, Alex Gibney opined that the inference behind that exchange–she continually asking if he is a Catholic, he insisting that he is talking about molestation not religion–is that she is telling the man he should “take one for the team.”

As hard as it is to believe that such attitudes towards the victims exist, it is harder still to come to any other conclusion. When asked what revelations surprised him the most in making the film, Gibney stated “the repetition of patterns from place to place” which led him the “ineluctable conclusion” that (echoing one of his participants) what some might fear was a “conspiracy” was actually something worse, “a policy.”

Was it a policy to focus on the reputation of the church over and above the spiritual needs of the victims? In an interview with Patrick J. Wall (who was described as a “fixer” for the Roman Catholic church) it is revealed that Wall had authorization to settle cases regarding sexual abuse for up to $250,000 provided there was a strict confidentiality agreement. In 1975, there was a budget of seven million dollars set aside for settlements. In a section about the Order of the Paraclete, a department designed to “rehabilitate” sex offenders, it is stated that between the 50s and 90s, approximately 2,000 priests were treated by the Order of the Paraclete.

These are hardly statistics that would indicate isolated problems that were only revealed to church leadership years later. Richard Sipe, a sociologist and former Benedictine Monk is interviewed and states that his research indicated that approximately 50% of priests are celibate, creating a culture where this vow and requirement is not taken seriously. (Note: he does not claim that all of the sexually active priests are pedophiles.)

Gibney, who told the audience in Toronto that he “believe[s] in God” but “not in religion,” was born into a Roman Catholic family but has had little interaction with the church. His goal was not to make a “survey” film but a “crime film.” He said, “I wanted to follow one story to the top.” He also stated that he was sympathetic to attempts by lawyers of the victims of child molestation to get the Vatican to open its archives to some sort of human rights group in order to air the truth of what was known and when. Comparing such a procedure to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, he noted that such groups aren’t always and only about punishing the guilty so much as recognizing that healing is nearly impossible when the truth remains concealed for their benefit.

It is hard to imagine being a child or young adult and being subjected to repeated abuse from someone you trust. It is harder still to imagine the devastating effect of finally marshaling the courage to tell an adult and realizing that they can (or will) do nothing to stop it. By its very subject matter, Mea Maxima Culpa is a film that will bring criticism to Gibney from some quarters. In my mind, it is not just about silence as a response, it is about attempts to silence, which is, if possible, even more hideous. Gibney’s film gives voices to those who have for so long been robbed of their own and for that, I say God bless him.

Update: This film will be available on 10/8/2013 on DVD from Cinedigm.

Film Festivals

Toronto International Film Festival 2012

Alex Gibney

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God

Previous Post

September 9, 2012

Argo (Affleck, 2012)

Next Post

September 11, 2012 To the Wonder (Malick, 2012)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 10 Years Later 1999 Top 5 2007 Top 10 2008 Favorite Discoveries 2008 Top 10 2009 Favorite Discoveries 2009 Top 10 2010 Favorite Discoveries 2010 Top 10 2011 Top 10 2012 Top Ten 2013 Top Ten 2014 Top Ten Best Picture Winners Christian Spotlight on Entertainment Christianity Today Coming Soon Disclosure Disclosure--AS Disclosure--Book Disclosure--DVDS Disclosure--SEOL Disclosure--Travel Dissenting Opinion Elsewhere Emergenetics Essays Featured Film Fest DC--2014 Film Festivals Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2010 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2011 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2014 Headline Interviews Laura on the Oscar Winners Podcasts Quick Impressions Reviews RiverRun Film Festival 2014 Television The Criterion Collection The Thin Place To Stream or Not to Stream? Top 10s and Other Lists Toronto International Film Festival 2009 Toronto International Film Festival 2010 Toronto International Film Festival 2011 Toronto International Film Festival 2012 Toronto International Film Festival 2013 Toronto International Film Festival 2014 Uncategorized Video Virginia Film Festival 2011 Virginia Film Festival 2013 Women's Film Festival 2012

Select a Month February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who mocked Nehemiah and the Jews, saying a fox could break their wall?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Geshem Sanballat Eliashib Tobiah