By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/4/04)

STAFFORD — In response to the negative reaction Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ" has received from some reviewers, Father Michael Duesterhaus said, "People don’t want to talk about the reality. They want the Peter Frampton Jesus."

Coinciding with the beginning of the season of Lent and the opening of "The Passion," St. William of York Parish in Stafford hosted an exhibit by the Holy Face Association on the Shroud of Turin the first week of Lent.

Father Duesterhaus, pastor, said the shroud exhibit and "The Passion" could be wonderful tools to aid in evangelization because "so many people have forgotten the truth of the Passion of Christ."

The exhibit opened Tuesday night after a Mass celebrated for the feast day of the Holy Face. Fourth Degree members of the Knights of Columbus Holy Trinity Assembly No. 2520 served as an honor guard for the Mass, celebrated by Father Duesterhaus.

The shroud exhibit was in the Holy Family Parish Center. Plastic walls partition the exhibit from the rest of the hall so parents with young children could decide if their children should view it. The exhibit contains positive and negative reproductions of the Shroud of Turin, along with explanations of what the shroud tells us, today, about what happened 2,000 years ago. The shroud contains evidence of the beatings, scourging and crucifixion of the man who was buried in the cloth.

Like "The Passion," the shroud exhibit could be described as "gory." However, as Father Duesterhaus said in his homily before the opening of the exhibit, the film and the story of the shroud are "not done to be gory in America’s sense of movies, but because it’s reality." Both of these events can help people in "facing the reality that someone was willing to sacrifice for something they did not do. We committed sin. He suffered. He died. Christ overcomes everything."

According to Father Duesterhaus, there are about 10,000 former Catholics living in Stafford County who do not attend church. He urged his parishioners to "reawaken in them the reality of Christ. Reawaken in them the reality of faith. If we don’t start bringing people home, they will remain lost." He urged people to take their friends to see "The Passion," and to bring them to church. "After they see Jesus’ film, they can come to Jesus’ house," he said.

Tracey Bilodeau was one of nearly 40 parishioners who attended the opening of the exhibit Tuesday night.

Before converting to Catholicism at age 22, Bilodeau said she thought it was sad that there was nothing left in the world of Christ. After her conversion and marriage, she said she realized "not everything is gone. There’s a gift, a blessing everywhere you look for it."

She said the shroud, whether it is authentic or not, is "powerful and moving." "If it is something that helps to further your fait, it’s a gift."

Barry Cole, a parishioner at St. William of York, worked for two years to coordinate with the Holy Face Association of Montreal to bring their exhibit to Stafford. This was their first visit to the United States.

Bob and Kathie Ghormley helped Cole set up the shroud exhibit. The couple saw an advanced show of "The Passion" on Monday night, and they were able to talk to fellow parishioners about it at the exhibit on Tuesday. Bob said viewing the shroud exhibit after seeing the movie, "really puts it in perspective. It’s really amazing."

Although there has been some scrutiny over the shroud’s authenticity, it is only through modern technology that the world has been able to better understand what the shroud is, or could be. "The shroud was created for us today, so that through our technology, we can prove our beliefs," Bob said.

Kathie added, "To see what He went through with the scourging; it’s the closest thing to being at the Passion."

For those interested in learning more about the Shroud of Turin, the Benedictine Monks at Mary Mother of the Church Abbey, 12829 River Road, Richmond, have reproductions of the shroud on display at the Shroud of Turin Center. They will present "Crucifixion and Cloth — The Passion of Jesus Christ as seen on the Shroud of Turin" on March 6 and 13 at 10 a.m. For more information visit www.richmondmonks.org or call 804/784-3366.