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Oh, this book. I have a thousand thoughts swimming around in my head about it.
First, let me say, I am glad I read this book. It’s not necessarily a feel good book and I spent most of the book a tad depressed. Yet, the story telling is excellent.
This is a story set in 1930s Mexico during the Catholic persecutions which gave rise to the Cristeros.
The story follows a “whisky priest” (you never know his name) as he tries to evade authorities. He’s such an interesting character because he isn’t a good man or priest, but he isn’t evil either. He’s a priest that has given himself over to vice (he drinks and has a child), yet you don’t dislike him.
He’s a bad priest and he knows it; he knows he’s unworthy to hear confessions and hold Mass and, yet, something in him hangs on to his calling.
Graham Greene the author was Catholic and he was not, I mean was not, a good practicing Catholic. He abandoned his wife and struggled with fornication and substance abuse, so I have to believe there is a bit of himself written into the character of the priest. With all that said, he gets the Catholic Faith. He writes it so well—the vice, the virtue, human frailty, redemption, hope, and suffering.
I don’t want to spoil the ending, so I won’t say much more. It is a book I would recommend, but to caution for sensitive souls, there is a scene where the priest is in a tightly-packed dark jail cell and a couple is being scandalous by engaging in sexual acts. It’s not overly depicted, but the author makes it clear what it is happening.
My favorite line from the books is: “He knew now that at the end there was only one thing that counted - to be a saint.”
How true that is, Catholic Pilgrims. May we always keep that at the forefront of our mind.
P.S. I did a bonus episode in my podcast where I read a short story by Graham Greene called “The Hint of an Explanation.” It’s all about the Eucharist. You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/journeying-with-the-saints/id1602865917?i=1000645856665
In a little more than 30 days, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. In a spirit of patriotism, I am going to take the next 30 days and show one US landmark per day until July 4th. My goal: To find some Catholic connection to those landmarks. It's not always going to be easy, but I will do my best. I have lived all over this country from sea to shining sea--literally. Our military life has taken us up, down, across, and back across numerous times. I've lived east coast, west coast, deep south, midwest, and lots of desert. Lots of desert. I've lived in big cities, mid-sized cities, smallish cities, and no city. Because I've lived here, there, and everywhere, I truly do know how great our country is and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. So, first up is Independence Hall where the document to declare our independence was signed. In 2015, my family went on a guided tour through Independence Hall. We went into the Assembly Room where the Declaration of Independence was signed. As everyone moved out of that room, I stayed back and stood in there all by myself. I said a word of thanks to the men who took a great risk to sign that document. I swear something about them still lingers in that room. The Catholic Connection? This one is easy. Charles Carroll of Carrolton was the only Catholic to sign the document. He is noted for being the longest-lived and last surviving signer. He died in 1832 at the age of 95. This series will only be positive, so if you feel the temptation to spout off some unpatriotic nonsense, Uncle Sam will see you to the door and promptly delete your comment. He and I are tired of it. 😎 Patriotism is a virtue, Catholic Pilgrims, and I hope this series reminds you that it's okay to love your country. Have a blessed day.
Continue ReadingWhen we were stationed in Turkey, my husband was commander of an air base squadron. The installation was literally on two floors of a hotel and, yes, we even had a commissary and a BX. We were a tight-knit group, as we were confined to a small space and saw each other frequently. I started to notice that when I would go into the club or, any place really, the younger troops would mind their P's and Q's. At first, I thought it was because my presence was like having mom around, but I later realized that when they saw me, they saw an extension of my husband. I knew it wasn't because they saw me as mom, as other older women did not affect the same kind of reaction. This always made me smile, not because I enjoyed the attention, but because it signaled the reality of the oneness of marriage. To see me, is to see my husband and vice versa. The other day, our oldest daughter was speaking to her dad and she said, "I don't know if what you are saying is coming from Momma's thoughts or yours." My husband said, "Well, that's hard to say, because your mom and I are pretty in sync about most things." Though it isn't perfect, I believe marriage is one of the strongest analogies for the Holy Trinity. Again, not perfect, but we can come to understand the Trinity just a bit by looking at a loving marriage. When my husband and I were married, we became one. Two distinct persons, yet still one. Most people will tell you that if you see me, they can't help but also think of Dustin. The same goes for him. The product of our love is our children. Our love created other distinct people and we are all united in the oneness of our family which is held by our marriage. God the Father is Lover, God the Son is the Beloved, and God the Holy Spirit is the Love that unites them. Because God is Love, Love is a person, the Holy Spirit. Three distinct Persons in One. It's a deep mystery and one that we can't fully grasp or comprehend. We will never be able to use human words to fully articulate the mystery of the Holy Trinity. That's because, well, we aren't God. But, these mysteries sure are wonderful things to ponder and be in awe of, Catholic Pilgrims.
Continue ReadingToday, let's head to an island off the coast of South Carolina for our small-town church showcase. This is Stella Maris Catholic Church located on Sullivan's Island, SC. I have cruised past this island twice when I was in Charleston a few Spring Breaks ago: One day on a sailing ship and the next day on a ferry taking me over to Fort Sumter. Sullivan's Island is named after Captain Florence O'Sullivan. He was an Irishman who was granted land on the island to help with the building up of the South Carolina colony. He was a military officer, a surveyor, a colonial official, and he helped establish Charleston. Sullivan's Island was used to protect Charleston from enemy attacks. This parish was founded in 1843 by Bishop Ignatius Reynolds. During the Civil War, this island saw a lot of military action and that affected church life, as you can imagine. The original church was just a small wooden building that no longer exists; this church you see here came about in the late 1800s and has undergone lots of renovations. The inside of the church seems to harken back to its wooden-structure days, as it was built with pine and painted a warm color. We don't know for sure if Captain O'Sullivan was Catholic or not. There are no surviving documents to give clarity. Most historians say that he was "likely Catholic" given his Irish roots, but if he was, he most likely had to keep it quiet. But, there is no definitive way of knowing. I loved my time in Charleston and if you are ever in the area, Catholic Pilgrims, maybe take a trip over to Sullivan's Island to check out Stella Maris Parish. Have a blessed Wednesday!
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