Anne Rice: Anti-Catholic?
Dear Catholic Exchange:
I recently saw a woman with whom I work watching that Queen of the Damned movie that's based on a book by Anne Rice (Vampire Chronicles).
I have read and seen Interview with a Vampire. I told my coworker that they were very anti-Catholic and anti-Christian in general. Though she is a practicing Protestant with a deep belief in Christ, she said the movie wasn't that bad.
Do you have any articles about Queen of the Damned or Interview with a Vampire that talk about their – and Anne Rice's – anti-Catholicism/Christianity?
Sincerely,
Mark Sterancsak
Dear Mark:
Thanks for writing. First of all, let me confirm your sense that the Anne Rice books, especially the post-“Interview” books, are deeply contrary to Catholic and Christian faith and sensibilities. Essentially they glorify power, wealth, privilege, hedonism, youth, violence, rebellion, and the grotesque. There are also a significant homosexual subtext woven into Rice's world (e.g., vampires are a silent minority population with desires that are abhorrent to the majority — and even to some of the vampires themselves — though other vampires urge that this is what they are and there is no use denying it, etc.).
I don't know of any good written analysis of Rice by a Christian, but a ministry called Mars Hill Audio carries an excellent audiotape on the subject: an interview with Dr. Alan Jacobs, a Christian literary critic and professor of English at Wheaton College, an Evangelical institution. The tape, which I recommend highly, is called “Decadent Immortals.” You can find it on the Mars Hill website here.
The two movies must be considered separately from one another. Interview was an ambitious but failed adaptation of Rice's first vampire novel; the recent Queen of the Damned is mere pop trash and vampire chic. The U.S. Bishops’ Office of Film and Broadcasting classified the latter film “for adults, with reservations” — the rating in between “for adults” and “morally offensive.” So it may not be out-and-out morally offensive, but it is problematic and some people will find it objectionable. Beyond that, Damned is eminently dismissible for its trashy, lightweight treatment of the vampire mythos. Essentially, there's no positive reason to see it, unless you're an Aaliyah fan in mourning. If you want to see a good vampire film, go rent F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent classic Nosferatu.
Hope that helps.
Be under the Mercy,
Steven D. Greydanus
The Decent Films Guide
Vaccines from Aborted Babies
Dear Catholic Exchange:
I just read the “Fighting the Good Fight” article posted today, [3/11/2002]. I did not know that vaccines could be made from aborted babies. This is horrible. I have 7 children, and I have immunized them on schedule since they were newborns. Three of the children are due for their next set of shots at the end of this month.
I have two questions:
- How do I know which vaccines exactly are derived from aborted babies so I do not have these put into my children? I want to know which ones I must refuse.
- Am I guilty in any way by not knowing in the past until today, about 10 minutes ago, were some vaccines come from and that some tainted ones may have been used on my children or myself?
Michelle
Dear Michelle:
The following link discusses which vaccines were developed using aborted fetal tissue and their alternatives: http://www.cogforlife.org/fetalvaccines.htm.
As you will see, there are five common vaccines derived from fetal tissue.
Catholic theologians disagree as to whether it is morally acceptable to use these vaccines. See http://www.cogforlife.org/vaxyesno.htm. In other words, parents must follow their conscience in determining whether to use these vaccines. You have no guilt in this matter because you did, in fact, make the best decision you could based on the knowledge you had at the time.
If you have any further questions, I recommend you contact Debi Vinnedge at cogforlife@aol.com. You may also want to see CE's other articles on this matter:
- “The Right to Choose: Making an Informed Decision about Vaccines”
- “Vaccines Made From Aborted Babies”
God bless,
Jameson Taylor
Writer
Human Life International
Kneeling During the Consecration
Dear Catholic Exchange:
I have recently encountered a situation in which I am uncertain how to handle. Our parish has always knelt during the consecration of the Eucharist. In the past six months we have had a change in priests. Since his arrival it was obvious to me by the comments that he made, that he was trying to “warm” us up to the eventuality of his request to us to not kneel during the consecration.
This of course did happen and now our congregation stands during the consecration. From what I've read on the subject (General Instructions), the preferred position during the consecration is kneeling and that changes in the position can only take place with approval from the conference of bishops. I did go and speak to my priest about the subject. He did not recognize the article I showed him about the preferred position of kneeling and said that he felt that kneeling at that particular moment disrupted the flow of the Mass and his prayer. To his credit, when he asked us to stand, he added that if we felt that if it was an issue of conscience that we were welcome to kneel.
My family and I continue to kneel during the consecration. As a former Baptist who has come “home,” I find this situation to be very confusing. I love kneeling.
It feels right and good to kneel in front of Jesus and I have a hard time understanding how you could want to do otherwise. I also care and respect deeply my priest. I do not want to be disobedient (which I explained to him in our discussion) but now I find I do not know if this is one of the subjects that I should be making a stand on.
Some other parishioners have asked the bishop to make some sort of a stand on the issue but he has not made a move one way or the other. Being obedient to the Roman Catholic Church was one of the most important things to me when becoming a Catholic.
Here are some questions I find are troubling:
- Which aspects of the Catholic Church are mandatory and which are not?
- If the General Instructions states that the position of the congregation during the consecration can only be changed by the Conference of Bishops am I responsible for following this? i.e. if my priest chooses not to follow it, is it my responsibility to obey him?
My opinion is, if you don't follow the rules you may as well be any other Christian church that can change with the blowing of the winds but I am not sure how far to take this.
I would appreciate any guidance you could provide.
Yours in Christ,
Dawn
Dear Dawn:
It is not you but your priest who is being disobedient. The priest is a delegate of the bishop. He does not act on his own authority but in obedience to the Church. When he “feels” that something contrary to what the bishops have ordered should be done, the proper response is “Your feelings are duly noted” and then to obey the bishops.
Since, as you note, “the preferred position during the consecration is kneeling and changes in the position can only take place with approval from the conference of bishops” (not merely because a priest “feels” like it), you should kneel during the consecration.
You should also write a letter to your bishop to point out the unilateral action of your priest and ask him to correct it. This is not rebellion. It is fidelity to the teaching of the bishops. If your bishop tells you it's okay to stand during the consecration (many places in the world, this is the custom) then you can. If he says you must, then you must. But it's not up to Father to make unilateral changes here. It's the bishop's job to legislate in his diocese.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
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