Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

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The Da Vinci Code...ARE WE PREPARED TO DEFEND OUR FAITH?
Our older children and teenagers will be be going to see this film when it debuts in next week on May 19th, 2006. Are we, as parents, grandparents, Christians and Catholic, prepared to defend our faith against the fiction of Dan Brown?
This page will be updated regularly with relevant links and information to help us have truthful answers when our children begin to speak about The Da Vinci Code

Most of us know that the New York Times record-setting best seller, The Da Vinci Code, is going to be a blockbuster. Sales of the paperback have risen dramatically since January 2006 as moviegoers bone-up on this best-selling work of fiction. Ron Howard directs and Tom Hanks stars. So you KNOW our teenagers will be lining up at the box office.

But do you know what the message of The Da Vinci Code? You should, because our kids will know, and we need to be ready to defend our faith when the film comes out.

Read what www.IMDB.com says the film The Da Vinci Code is about:
"A murder in the Louvre and clues in Da Vinci paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years -- which could shake the foundations of Christianity..."

If you haven't read the novel The Da Vinci Code, you should know that author Dan Brown, who holds NO advanced degrees in religion, claims that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and that she fled to France while pregnant with his child. According to Brown, a secret society, The Priory of Sion, has protected proof of this "truth" about Jesus and Mary Magdalene for over 2000 years. The book claims that a code for discovering the truth is hidden in Leonardi Da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

According to Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel, the authors of The Da Vinci Hoax:
"A frequent question asked by readers of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is “How much of the novel’s depiction of historical events, people, artwork, and institutions is correct.” The short answer is “Not much.” In fact, the only thing more amazing than Brown’s consistent misrepresentation of facts is a widespread acceptance of his claims.... READ MORE

The Da Vinci Hoax - The Facts vs. Fiction on The Da Vinci Code

Catholic author Amy Welborn also has an excellent page about the inaccuracies of The Da Vinci Code.
Click here Amy Welborn on the fiction of The Da Vinci Code

What Opus Dei has to say about how their organization is falsely portrayed in The Da Vinci Code book and film: OPUS DEI Speaks Out about The Da Vinci Code
"It's very sad that Opus Dei and the Catholic Church were portrayed unfairly in the novel," said Opus Dei spokesman Brian Finnerty. "What we're trying to do is take advantage of the interest to explain what the real Opus Dei is all about.".

The Da Vinci Code will be a very influential film, and as Christians we should be prepared through knowledge. Read what IMBD.com says is the plot line of The Da Vinci Code:
The Da Vinci Code.

On EWTN This Week:

THE DA VINCI HOAX (60:00) NEW Father Mitch Pacwa interviews the authors of 'The Da Vinci Hoax', Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel, about the errors contained within Dan Brown's best-selling novel. Topics focused on here include examinations of several of the book's subjects, including the Gnostic Gospels (and the Gospel of Philip in particular), Emperor Constantine, the Council of Nicea, the Knights Templar, Mary Magdalene, the Priory of Sion, and of course Leonardo Da Vinci himself.

• Wednesday May 17, 2006 10:00 PM
• Friday May 19, 2006 10:00 AM