"We repeat what we stated on January 12th about the film on the Da Vinci Code: we are not going to argue, there will be no boycotts, or anything like that. We will keep a transparent, serene and proactive mind". This is the content of a statement made by the Information Office of Rome’s Opus Dei which was sent this morning to the Papal University of the Holy Cross on the occasion of the presentation of the 2006 Harambee Campaign, a plan devised on the occasion of the canonisation of Josemaria Escrivà, to support initiatives for the training of African organisations. "The Da Vinci Code reads the release provides a distorted image of the Catholic Church. Many people feel offended by the Da Vinci Code’s lack of respect for the Christian religion. Today, we would like to invite these people to show their disagreement in a serene and proactive manner. The film is not due out for the next three months, so we still cherish the hope that the final edition of the film will contain no reference that may hurt the Catholics. Sony-Columbia is still in time to prove that freedom of expression is compatible with the respect of other people’s beliefs".
