I am not sure it was wise of me to read Michael O'Brien's Father Elijah. An apocalypse (Ignatius Press) just after reading "The Cube and the Cathedral". O'Brien paints out in fiction what Weigel describes in principle. In the opening chapters of the book, when Fr Elijah is summoned to Rome, I found the description of his harrassment by officialdom and the impact of notched-up secularism disturbing. The novel describes the rise of the Antichrist in a way that is at times like an update of Robert Hugh Benson's Lord of the World.
A priest friend recommended O'Brien to me, expressing surprise that I had not come across him. I am grateful for the pointer and will be reading my way through his books on train journeys and waiting rooms during the coming months.
On his own website studiObrien, the author states that in all his work (painting, novels and essays), he seeks to contribute to the restoration of Christian culture. As well as links to information about his work, the homepage of the site has a number of essays addressing, for example Philip Pullman, Harry Potter and Pope Benedict's Regensburg address.
9 comments:
I have read the majority of Michael O'Brien's novels from the "Children of the Last Days" and really enjoyed them. Most of the novels have that creepy feeling of increased secularism that rings quite true. Though the novels cover a range of history from around WWII to the present or near present day.
Though I totally disagree with him on the Harry Potter books. But that doesn't keep me from really enjoying his novels.
Many thanks, Jeff - your recommendation encourages me to order the other novels.
But no way am I going to start a "Harry Potter War" here :-)
Fr. Tim
Thank you for recommending "Father Elijah". Like all apocalyptic novels, the ending is somewhat unsatisfying for obvious reasons. However, the early chapters are outstanding in building a sense of impending menace.
For me, O'Brien's greatest achievement in this novel is to remind us that evil at its most deceptive does not appear evil at all in any conventional sense. On the contrary, the 'President' of the novel is a model of virtue, committed to worldwide peace and prosperity. What is evil is the substitution of the economy of grace by a naturalistic facsimile that is a mask for ultimate evil.
Reaching for the supernatural, that is divine participation, by merely natural means is the origin of all evil (c.f. Aquinas, De Malo, q. 16, a. 3). It is a temptation that can take the most subtle forms, and be promoted by the 'best' of people. The key to unmasking the deception is the test of 'Doubting' Thomas, a theme of the famous Signorelli fresco at Orvieto: the Antichrist bears no wounds.
May God bless you, and thank you for all your work.
I second Jeff Miller. O'Brien is one brilliant author and I read nearly all his books.
Dear Fr Tim
welcome to the only Catholic sub culture in Britain you won't regret discovering Michael O'Brien.
Not only is he a brilliant story teller with a fine intellect but in Fr Elijah you have a book that also reads like a manual on the interior life as well as a spiritual combat book.
Tony
Thank you, Fr Andrew. I agree with you. I had forgotten reading about the absence of wounds in the antichrist in Orvieto - but I always remember the very sinister feeling of that picture.
Tony - you are right. The novel is orthodox on ascetical and mystical doctrine. This is an area where so many books fail that it is worth noting the success of O'Brien.
As a pre-emptive strike... Watch now for some snooty anonymous comment saying that the characterisation or plot development or something is really substandard ...
That will be someone in "The President's" circle :-)
Dear Father,
If you or your readers are interested, here is a photo of the wonderful Byzantine triptych O'Brien painted for St Barnabas, an Anglo-Catholic parish here in Ottawa:
http://stbarnabasottawa.fotopic.net/p20551269.html
Many thanks, Jeremy.
I also read Father Elijah, which lead me into the Children of the Last Days series. And I enjoyed them very much.
His style is very intellectual and reminiscent of some authors I've read from the 1800's, although I can't put my finger on who, exactly!
But I agree with what everyone has said about "Father Elijah". It brought chills in that it is a bit TOO realistic and probable. And if you haven't read about what happened in the catacombs yet.... * shudder *
Post a Comment