End notes: Opus Dei seeks 'R' rating for Da Vinci Code.

THE ULTRACONSERVATIVE Catholic organization Opus Dei has called for the forthcoming film version of Dan Brown's fictional novel, "The Da Vinci Code," to be given an adult rating. The book, a bestseller worldwide, proposes a theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and that they had children. An Opus Dei spokesman told the news agency Zenit, "Just as we protect children from explicit sex and violence, it would seem to make sense to protect them from violence that is more subtle and thus more insidious." Calling the tale "absurd and at times somewhat humorous," he said it might act as "a sort of indirect publicity" for Opus Del, and that the group would not be organizing any boycott, because that might draw attention to the film, which will be released in May and stars Tom Hanks. The Vatican shares Opus Dei's circumspection. "You're only feeding the publicity," said one official. "I don't think the Vatican will say much about this movie when it comes out--if anything."

However, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops clearly did not get the memo about playing down the importance of the film. The US bishops have launched a website refuting the claims made in the novel, www.jesusdecoded.com.