Notre
Dame students flocked to the Grotto in October to hear actor Jim
Caviezel, who played Jesus in the Mel Gibson film The Passion
of the Christ. Caviezel was quoted in The Observer,
the student newspaper, as announcing, "I came here to Notre Dame
to tell you students to have the courage to step into this pagan
world and shamelessly express your faith in public," and he said
he believed Notre Dame was called to a "major act of faith right
now." Caviezel also said he didn't like the fact that the stadium
expansion obscured some views of the Word of Life ("Touchdown
Jesus") mural on the side of the library. "The image needs to
be resurrected so everyone can see it."
The actor's appearance was sponsored by the Right to Life club,
Student Government, Children of Mary, Knights of the Immaculata
and the Orestes Brownson Council.
(January 2006)
