A Novel
By Sally Wolfe
It’s unusual for WLT to review fiction, but Consolations will resonate with spiritual seekers. The protagonist’s painful struggle to reconcile her yearning for the Divine with life in a human body will be familiar to many, but for anyone raised Catholic, it will be particularly poignant.
It’s 1951 when Fiona leaves her close-knit, academic family and career behind to follow in the footsteps of her literary mentor, Thomas Merton. Caught up in the ecstasy of spiritual devotion, she’s brought decidedly to earth by the rigidity of her religious superiors and a very earthly encounter with a visiting Jesuit priest. Thus begins her quest to find her true calling: a worldly life with Father Woods or continuation as a “bride of Christ.”
Midway through Sister Bridget’s (they get a new name when they take their vows) story, I began to wonder if there could possibly be a satisfying end to the book, and indeed, that is symptomatic of this nun’s dilemma. She cannot discern how to reconcile her two passions, especially in light of controversial changes coming from Rome via Vatican ll.
Through Bridget’s personal battle and behind the closed doors of two monasteries, the author offers a revealing picture of the cloistered religious life—the ordinary to the sublime—gleaned from her own spiritual search, including stints in Trappist and Benedictine monasteries. It was a compelling read for this once-upon-a-time Catholic. (Luminis Books)
This article is a part of the April/May 2015 issue of Whole Life Times.