Mel Gibson has parked another almost $10 million in his Holy Family Catholic Church up in Malibu, California. According to federal tax filings just made available online at guidestar.org, Mel now has a church with tax free assets of $42 million.
That’s a lot of worth for a congregation of less than 100 people. Among the church’s assets: art work listed at almost $500,000.
Gibson lists three major expenses for 2007 including an architect and landscaper to help him keep building in and around the church. He also paid a law firm $69,000 for its services.
Holy Family is not recognized by the Catholic Church. And just to give you an idea of what’s going on here, relatively: Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New York listed its total assets at the end of 2006 as just $3.4 million. That group gives millions away every year in charity. If Gibson’s church does the same it’s not reflected in the Holy Family tax returns. The $42 million seems more like a war chest.
Gibson is the single contributor to the church every year. He started building it several years ago for his father, Hutton Gibson, an avowed Holocaust denier and racist.
In 2006, Gibson himself was arrested for a DUI and spewed anti-Semitic, racist statements at police. The incident became a worldwide scandal.
Gibson is now shooting his first movie since the scandal, a film called “Edge of Darkness.” But that project has already had trouble when Robert DeNiro dropped out during the first week. He was replaced by Ray Winstone.
As for Hutton Gibson, it’s always good to keep track of him. He has a new website that opens with thunder and lightning illuminating Jesus on the cross, followed by the rubric: “Defending the faith of our Fathers.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: FXN)