Gibson's 'Passion' wins another Vatican rave

Mel Gibson's film "The Passion" has won another Vatican endorsement, with a top cardinal rejecting suggestions the movie may offend Jewish sensibilities and promote anti-Semitism.

"Anti-Semitism, like all forms of racism, distorts the truth by putting an entire race in a bad light. This film does nothing of the kind," Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos said in Thursday's La Stampa newspaper.

Many conservative Christians say the upcoming film powerfully depicts the last 12 hours of Jesus' life. But Jewish leaders say it suggests Jews were responsible for the death of Christ, which could trigger anti-Semitic attacks.

The Roman Catholic Church formally rejected Jewish culpability in Christ's death nearly 40 years ago.