The Gift

By Louis Michalski

The Gift tells the story of the ancient clerical culture of an imperial church and how one man finds the courage to remain true to himself even when doing so requires facing the truth about his commitment to the church and casting doubt on the only life he has known. Father Jonas Fielding is unaware of the gift he shares with a colonial era ancestor until he is confronted by the startling confession whispered by a raped woman, and the cynical cover-up by the Bishop. His biker-poet best friend confronts him about the liabilities inherent in his celibate life, and a beautiful woman ignites dormant feelings that challenge his solitary and disciplined existence.He is accused of heresy. His independent thinking marks him as an outsider. He declines traditional clerical privilege and secrecy, and a friend in the Vatican reminds Jonas of the church's shadow underside. In exile in the farthest corner of the diocese, Jonas attracts an array of disenfranchised individuals to form a community of unlikely churchgoers, including the prostitute Helen of Troy, crusty pecan farmers, migrant workers, and oil field roughnecks. His unusual choice for a rectory is the last straw. No church hierarchy can long allow one of its priests to flaunt independence. Father Jonas is after all a trained member of the clerical culture the hierarchy has nurtured for centuries and groomed to protect the institution. Will Jonas succeed and share his gift with others, or will history repeat itself?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1478374454
• ISBN13: 9781478374459
• Release Date: May 2013
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.7" x 5.3"