Tag Archives: catholic fiction

Book Review: The Samurai by Shusaku Endo

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The SamuraiI just finished reading Shusaku Endo’s The Samurai, and it was eye-opening in so many ways. It is the story of two men: Father Velasco, the flawed but well-meaning missionary to Japan, and Hasekura Rokuemon, the quiet Samurai who only wants to do his duty. Both men have a mission, both of them are forced to compromise their integrity for the sake of that mission, and neither of them get what they want. In the end, however, The Samurai is a gentle reminder that God “writes straight with crooked lines,” and no matter how hard we try to bring the gospel to others, it is Jesus Christ alone who has the power to convert hearts. Endo, a Japanese Catholic, reminds us that “the essence of Christianity is determined not by bureaucratic fiat, but by the private yearnings of each and every believer.”

On the surface, The Samurai is historical fiction, recounting the journey of Hasekura Rokuemon and other Japanese emissaries to Mexico, Spain, and eventually Rome to see Pope Paul V in 1615. Rokuemon and his companions were the first Japanese emissaries to the Americas. It’s a fascinating story, and Endo tells it with great restraint, avoiding the temptation to over dramatize the events.

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Last Rites: Mysteries Featuring Catholic Detectives

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For some reason there a lot of Catholic detectives on the mystery shelves. I’m sure there are amateur detectives from other faiths (Rabbi Small, for instance), but Catholic priests and nuns seem to form their own sub-genre. Here are a few examples:

  • Father Brown – The greatest of all ecclesial sleuths, G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown belongs in the ranks of the great detectives with Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, and Miss Marple. Chesterton’s stories are witty and clever, and very satisfying. All of his stories are collected in The Complete Father Brown.
  • Brother Cadfael – Ellis Peters’ medieval monk Brother Cadfael is a former soldier who now tends the garden at Shrewsbury Abbey–when he’s not investigating mysterious deaths. I always recommend Brother Cadfael to fans of fantasy books who want to try their first mystery but don’t know where to begin. Cadfael’s stories begin with A Morbid Taste for Bones. Also see the great tv series starring Derek Jacobi.
  • Father Dowling – Don’t judge this priest by the tv series. Ralph McInerny’s Fr. Dowling is a complex character written by an engaging storyteller. Highly recommended. Though most of the early Father Dowling mysteries are out of print, newer titles are still available, such as 2005′s Blood Ties.
  • Sister Mary Helen – I have not had a chance to read any of Sister Carol Ann O’Marie’s mysteries featuring amateur detective Sister Mary Helen, but my wife loves this series, and that’s saying something. My wife doesn’t read very often, but she went through all of the books in the series and really enjoyed them. I love the titles: Novena for Murder, Advent of Dying, The Corporal Works of Murder.

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St. Vidicon, Pray for Us!

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St. Vidicon to the RescueIf you are a computer troubleshooter, you need to know about St. Vidicon of Cathode. He was martyred in the year 2020 when he was electrocuted in order to keep the Vatican broadcast equipment working so that Pope Clement could send his message to the world. Since his death, people throughout the world have prayed for his intercession to combat those terrors of technology, Murphy’s Law, the Imp of Perversity, and Finagle.

His story is recounted in St. Vidicon to the Rescue, a novel by Christopher Stasheff. St. Vidicon is a spin-off of Stasheff’s popular Ron Gallowglass series (The Warlock in Spite of Himself, etc.). Father Vidicon employs the help of computer troubleshooter Tony Ricci to come to the aid of various people plagued by the forces of entropy. Tony gets to wield Occam’s Razor, travel through time, and thwart the legal system. At the same time, Father Vidicon helps Tony in his relationship with Sandy, the object of Tony’s affection.

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Reflecting on Father Elijah

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Father Elijah by Michael D. O'BrienI have just finished Michael D. O’Brien’s Father Elijah for the second time. I hadn’t read it in about five years, and I wanted to re-read it before Tom Curran discussed it later this month on his Sound Insights radio show. I remember liking it a lot more the first time I read it, probably because it was such a revelation to me.

The book attempts to look at the second coming from a Catholic perspective. If you’ve read or heard about the Left Behind series, and wondered about the Catholic take on the end times, then Father Elijah could help answer your questions. Unfortunately, our culture is so driven by hyper-dramatic action stories, that a novel like this one goes mostly unnoticed. It is much more literary, and consequently takes more effort to read, than other more popular novels. But trust me, this one gets it right. This is a rational, believable, exploration of how the world might look shortly before Jesus comes again. It is also a rational, believable critique of the modern world.

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