Covering Up Sins a Harmful Decision For Catholic Church in ‘Constantine’s Sword’

CHICAGO – If there ever was an institution that has distressed itself through years of patriarchal rule, it is the Catholic Church. From examples of historical misdeeds through the recent priest scandals, the Catholic Church has done a dance around truth that would make Saint Vitus proud.

Author James Carroll as seen in “Constantine’s Sword,” which is a film by Oren Jacoby based on the book by James Carroll. Photo credit: Bob Richman

Former priest and author James Carroll journeys into this darkness through the relationship of the Vatican and the church with the Jewish faith in the new documentary “Constantine’s Sword”. What he uncovers is a scandalous disregard for humanity in pursuit of earthly power.

Symbols mean a great deal in Christianity history. In the early church, it was the peaceful symbols of the lamb and the fish that represented the emerging faith.

That changed, according to the film, in early 4th century Rome when the warrior Constantine faced the empire armies at the Tiber River. He claimed to see a vision of his sword as the shape of Christ’s cross along with words “in this sign, conquer”.

He won the battle and claimed emperor status. This led to the adoption of the cross as a symbol of Christianity and the concept of “Christian soldiers,” which has evolved to the evangelicalism of today. At the same time, Carroll looks at his own history in the faith.

James Carroll at Arlington National Cemetery in “Constantine’s Sword,” which is a film by Oren Jacoby. Photo credit: Bob Richman

Raised in a large Catholic family headed by a U.S. Air Force officer, he followed the righteous path all the way to the priesthood. The downfall of that calling occurred during the Vietnam War era when he joined radical Catholic opposition to the war and lost faith in its leadership to follow the peaceful tenets of Christ.

The roots of Christian anti-Semitism lie in the long-held view that it was the “Jews” who killed Christ. In view of this canard, Carroll uncovers a papal edict that established a Jewish ghetto in Rome that closed only in the 19th century.

In the most egregious capitulation, Pope Pius XII becomes a Nazi appeaser during World War II. He turns the Vatican’s back on the Holocaust despite warnings from a Catholic nun who was later killed at Auschwitz.

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Most chilling in the film is the exploration into the current evangelical infiltration of America’s political system. A hotbed of this movement happens to close by the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado and a systematic Christian conversion campaign begins to occur within the military installation.

This evangelical view is represented by Rev. Ted Haggard whose earthly desire for male prostitutes later led to a self-righteous downfall. In the thirst for power, doing the right thing and telling the truth become victimized. That practice includes the Catholic Church and its sisterly evangelical movement.

Carroll is simply pointing out that the use of cover up and propaganda – whether it’s aimed at another religion or another country – is still represented at the point of a sword. That sword is shaped like a cross.

By PATRICK McDONALD Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com