Mel Gibson Slips Into Town To Visit Local Nuns (Louisville, KY)

WAVE 3 TV, Louisville, KY ^ | 4/1/2004 | James Zambroski

[Pyro7480]

Mel Gibson Slips Into Town To Visit Local Nuns
By James Zambroski

(LOUISVILLE, April 1st, 2004, 11:30 a.m.) -- In a surprise visit, Mel Gibson ate chicken and rice, signed autographs and posed for pictures with residents and staff at the St. Joseph's Home on Poplar Level Road Wednesday. It was all a big surprise for the Little Sisters of the Poor when the Hollywood mogul brought them a private showing of his movie, "The Passion of the Christ." WAVE 3's James Zambroski reports.

"And all of a sudden, this gentleman walks in and mother recognized him right away, it was Mel Gibson," said Sister Gonzague.

Gibson's production company called last, week offering the Little Sisters of the Poor in Louisville a private showing of "The Passion of the Christ."

"We thought it was a charge to show it here and we didn't want that," Gonzague said. But he said, 'no, this is something Mel Gibson is doing.'"

The Sister said she didn't recognize Gibson or know much about his career. "I have to plead very ignorant. In our community, we don't go to the movies and aren't up on the actors."

After a tour of St. Joseph's Home, a home for the elderly run by the nuns, Gibson pulled out a check. "So then he made the check out and gave it to Sister Bernard; Sister Bernard gave it to Mother Mary Anthony; Mother Mary Anthony looked at it, thanked him for it and gave it to me and I put it in my pocket."

The nuns say it was an ordinary personal check, like yours or mine.

"You can see it's all dog earred," Gonzague said. "He must have been carrying it around in his pocket. It's all dirty and everything."

Gibson even autographed Cards and Cats memorabilia for the nuns -- though no one knows if he prefers one team over the other -- and left memories for a lifetime at the home.

Gibson's donation to the Little Sisters of the Poor was several thousand dollars, but we've agreed not to release the exact amount. Gibson told the nuns that he'd like to make a movie about the life of Moses and about Sarah, the wife of Abraham in the Old Testament.

[Pyro7480]

Way to go Mel!!

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

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[NYer]

What a beautiful Easter gift for the good sisters. There is an order near here and their entire livelihood comes from begging, holding bake sales, and donations. They take in only the poorest of the poor and allow them to live out their remaining years in dignity.

[Gerish]

What a wonderful act of charity, especially since it sounds like they really have no idea who he is! God Bless Mr. Gibson.

[Aquinasfan]

What a beautiful Easter gift for the good sisters.

It just keeps getting better. He seems to be a bit different from the rest of the Hollywood crowd.

[George from New England]

Unlike Bill Gates giving his money to the UN for anti-moral purposes, Mel will be doing the work of Christ with his hundreds of millions.

[Siobhan]

The Little Sisters of the Poor! Makes me cry it does. Cry with joy.

[FreeManWhoCan]

Oh God.. I wish ET would just dissapear!

[StarCMC]

Interesting Louisville/Catholic ping...

[ELS]

Did you get that data from a Web site? If so, what is the URL?

[Seeking the truth]

Is that list total sales or just domestic?

[Bigg Red]

Nice! May God bless him.

[breakem]

When yesterday is posted The Passion will be 77th on the domestic all-time adjusted for inflation list, just behind Attack of the Clones.

boxofficemojo.com

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Total as of Apr. 1, 2004: $320,251,865

Will he break $400 million by Easter? It's going to be close. Attendance should pick up again this week.