Is Katie Holmes' family truly pleased with Cruise, Scientology?

By Matt C. Abbott

The family of actress Katie Holmes might not be so thrilled with her apparent conversion to Scientology — contrary to a recent report.

The Holmes family is Catholic, but Katie's husband-to-be, actor Tom Cruise, has said their baby will not be raised in the Catholic Church. Cruise is an avowed Scientologist.

Says one Catholic individual whose spouse is close to the Holmes family:

There are certain members of the Holmes family who are not at all happy with this. I hate gossip, and would never otherwise spread what 'the word on the street' is, but in the interest of justice [some Catholics have been critical of the Holmes family's alleged approval of TomKat's religious views], bear in mind that these are Tom Cruise's words.

Those who know the family get a very different impression as to their appetite for their daughter's conversion.

Meanwhile, Cruise joked in a recent interview that he plans to eat Katie Holmes' placenta.

Celibacy vs. chastity

James L. Foley had this to say in response to a previous column:

When you refer to active homosexuals as non-celibate gays, you assist in corrupting the language by confusing chastity with celibacy. You thereby assist clerics across the country in their ability to seemingly deny a charge of sexual impropriety by saying they have been faithful to their vow of celibacy when all they are actually doing is saying they didn't get married. You should rather be blowing the whistle on this type of dodge.

More on 'God or the Girl'

An e-mail from Gerald Anzalone:

I enjoyed reading your commentary on this new series. I came across the 'God or the Girl' (I agree, lousy title) episodes by accident while channel surfing last night. I was surprised that A&E would air a 'reality' show that depicts the struggle of four young Catholic men who are contemplating religious life. But in reading your commentary, I also appreciated your bold parenthetical comment that at the age of 30, you have not engaged in any type of sex.

I'm 36, heterosexual, a practicing Catholic, and a healthcare professional. I also haven't engaged in sex, but in our society, the assumption is that a person who isn't promiscuous is abnormal. I definitely feel like I'm in the minority in my age group. When it comes up in a social situation that I am not sexually active, people often ask me if I'm gay (I'm not), if I hate women (I don't), or if I have sexual hang-ups (I don't think I do).

I tell that that I'm not sure if I'm destined for married life, but I try to cultivate my spirituality and my faith in a meaningful way in my daily personal and professional life so that whether I remain single as a heterosexual bachelor or eventually develop a life relationship with a woman doesn't really matter. The divorce rate and the numbers of unhappy and dysfunctional marriages, I think, prove this point. My own sense is that

it's more important for me to know that I'm doing the things that God wants me to do with my life.

I've also had numerous run-ins with fundamentalists who insist that I may be a good Catholic, but I'm certainly not a Christian, at least by their definition. But that's a whole other argument.

I think that this series and your commentary are refreshing reality checks for a society that views the Catholic Church as over-run with pedophilic priests and outdated 'rules' for living.

Best wishes for continued success in your journalistic career.

© Matt C. Abbott