Father Francis Chisholm was a Catholic priest, Scotland, in purposes of s. XIX. His mother was Protestant and his father was Catholic, and loved dearly. His father was murdered by religious intolerance and Francisco went to an aunt and uncle's house, which exploded in a nearby factory miserably. He was saved by a doctor "freethinker", at the time, Dr. Tullok, agnostic (which was quite a scandal in a small Scottish town), whose son, William, Francis would close friend. Thus
Francisco was welcomed into the loving hands of your Aunt Polly, who cared and made sure that was one of the minor seminaries (equivalent to high) most important in Scotland. Vocation Francis was not assured: I was madly in love with his cousin Nora.
But Nora committed suicide after being raped by a family member. Francisco followed in the major seminary. The conduct of Francis in the seminar was peculiar. One of the most important theological teachers accused him of a strange mental disobedience. On another occasion he came to go for a walk, say a little way to get lost in the village square where a prostitute gave him shelter at night. The future priest only to sleep, nothing more, and the lady in question said she was very naive and would be a total failure as a priest. Francisco was saved by a miracle that it thrown out of seminar.
Once ordered, it went through two parishes. The first tried to organize dances for the young and daring cost him his place in the parish and a good fight with the pastor. In the second parish, a lady of the place said to see the virgin and all were very happy. Francisco went to greet her one day and discovered that he had deceived the whole world. Meanwhile, a child who had a gangrenous leg was taken by his mother at the same pool where the Virgin Mary supposedly had appeared, and was cured. But that's Francisco only heard and said nothing. Simply became convinced that the Faith itself was a miracle.
But obviously, Francisco's relationship with the pastor (who had to undo the entire show) was not anything good ...
Finally came the moment of disciplinary interview with the bishop. The bishop had been the rector of the seminary where he studied and Francisco was the only one who understood. He asked how he was the business of the dances and the unconcealment false miracles, while invited him with a glass of whiskey. He laughed at all while Francis only spoke of his failures. The good bishop told Francisco that simply his way of being in the Church was like a cat walking down the aisle while listening to a boring sermon ... And then offered to be a missionary in China.
Francisco came to China and found that the previous mission had been ravaged by a flood of lies. The former priest was dedicated to "convert" handing out rice and when the mission building in disgrace the "faithful" to eat rice went elsewhere. Found only a moderately hut standing.
There, in squalid conditions, he tried to do what he could, but the loneliness and rejection by the locals was the result. He learned, however, that in the mountains, far away, there was a group of "Christians without rice." The priest walked days and days and found them. It was a community that kept the faith in other forms of worship they had learned from a missionary of the sixteenth century. Francisco's catechized back, spent a few weeks very happy and returned to the mission along with Joseph, a young assistant. Except for the valuable
with Jose, things did not improve there. Willy Tullok, and become a doctor, I mailed a few things to practice first aid and the priest put on a clinic. Common sense and basic hygiene did miracles. The mandarin of the place, Mr. Chia, called him because her son was very sick. If Francisco failed, goodbye Francisco goodbye. The priest prayed (first cause), he took a knife (second cause) and output all the infection of his arm almost gangrenous. The child recovered.
All went well until weeks later the same Mr Chia was presented to the humble cottage of the priest. The priest thought I would thank him. He was not wrong at all, but the Mandarin was going to do in their own way: he said it would become a Christian as a thank you, and that this entire region would become a Christian.
But Francis said no, that conversion should be by faith, by faith alone. Faith not by any condition but by itself (does anyone It reminds you of something?).
Mandarin did not understand much, and Joseph did not stop to warn Francisco who was refusing to Mandarin. But it did.
Mandarin left but soon returned. And he told Francisco that he donated some land to build the building of a new mission, with all the resources that were needed, with the only condition to move freely in her garden. Francisco
This time she said yes.
Thus, little by little, the Catholic mission began to grow back, albeit slowly, because Francis did not accept rice Christians. They
three nuns, one German, one French and one Belgian. A of them, Mother Mary Veronica, was not well with the priest, but they managed to work together. But came the War and ... war broke out between them. Francisco endured his fights until one day, very angry, warned them of the evil of war. That Christians should not get involved and that it would be better received in Europe the Catholic religious order to defect and not kill. María Verónica
reminded, subtly, that a generalucho place for some time threatened to invade the city and destroy mission and then what to say. Meanwhile
the famous Aunt Polly had come to live with her nephew mission and at the worst moment of tension he told his nephew that wanted to prove a hat for when it's cold. Francisco thanked him but told him how he could worry about it while a crazy place threatened to blow up the mission into a thousand pieces. Aunt Polly told him to worry about not winning anything and he also looked out for everyone.
Francisco went to the lieutenant of the delegation of the city. The lieutenant gave the priest to participate in an expedition to fly the canyon site occasionally dangerous psychopath. Francisco agreed. Suddenly, his total inexperience, he was involved in a shootout where the soldiers all the good lieutenant began to be slaughtered as the bullets dancing around him. Francis took a log fire and spectacular aim threw it on the powder surrounding the barrel of an enemy general. Chau psychopath and its people. Francisco woke up with a broken leg and a lieutenant told him that Chinese would become a Christian to another thing. Francisco never resolved the conflict of their action. The mission survived, but blew most of the church.
Soon after came the plague. People died and the bodies piled up in the streets. As part of a humanitarian mission arrived Tullok Willy, the agnostic doctor friend of the priest. Lt. place, Willy, the Francisco nuns and fought for days against the plague.
the end, the fever subsided, but Willy was infected and became ill. A few days later he died. Francisco died with his hands in his, with his faith in no faith. He refused to receive the sacraments.
After a time, Francisco was visited by the inspector of missions abroad, the Excellent. and Reverend Monsignor Anselmo etc. Anselmo, San Anselmo was not a theologian, was co-seminar Francisco. Started taking photographs of the site and prepare for your next conference. Francisco complained to the low number of converts and explained that a salary for two catechists X again many baptisms we Chinese would so many dollars per month. He explained that it would not achieve anything so badly dressed and should impress most other wealthy gentlemen of the place. And then hosted a dinner with the nuns where Joseph claimed a good bottle of wine.
Mother Mary Veronica saw the worst of herself in the figure of Anselmo. Entered into crisis, and deeply mourned. At night, after a visit by Anselmo, Francisco prayed in what remained of the church. The nun approached the priest and asked forgiveness. The best of herself emerged and shone a light of joy in the heart of the priest, "so you do not hate me?" No, said the nun, and promised to write to his brother in Germany to rebuild the church. And yes, if the churches were rebuilt when the hate is over.
There was then a period of peace. One day while Francis managed the garden, Mary Veronica came worried. He reported the arrival, in the same city, an American Methodist mission, full of resources and a missionary couple. One of them, her husband, Dr. Fiske, was a doctor.
had hardly finished the first war. Vatican II had not arrived. Francisco thought for a few days. And then got the only decent cassock had, hat, umbrella given him by his beloved Bishop and ... was to greet the Protestant mission.
On the road he met with Mr. Chia, who said he remembered very well how badly he was treated the priest when he arrived. He also said it could take only one snap of his fingers that the new missionaries had to get to where they came.
Francisco said no, that everyone should practice their faith according to their conscience.
Mandarin answered: "unbelievable."
Fiske, his wife and the priest became friends, although sometimes hard discussing theology. Patients attending the Catholic mission in the Protestant mission Fiske then sent them back. Once someone from the Catholic mission wanted to stay in Protestant because he was more comfortable. There was more food, less cold and affordable medicine. Dr. Fiske sent him back with a note: "The carrier is a bad Catholic, but as a Protestant would be even worse." PS: "You can still send their sick. Not receive feedback on the fallibility of the Borgia! ". Francis was moved. "Kindness and tolerance, with these virtues, what would your land beautiful, Lord."
Amid all this, María Verónica said she should go back to Germany. His brother had died in the battlefield.
The priest accompanied the nun to the small port there. She looked deeply into his eyes, shook hands and said, "Dear ... Dear friend ... I will never forget."
Time passed.
One day Dr. Fiske, his wife and the priest decided to go for a walk, a luxury that was never Francisco. In other words, to walk extra walls there. Ok. But they were caught and tortured for several days by the general who had tried to destroy the mission. Miraculously managed to escape but Dr. Fiske did not resist, and died. They prayed together until the end. Francisco survived but felt that his life will turn the page. It came as was
natural order from Scotland to return. Two young and hip replace priests. The subsequent days spent
nostalgically. Francisco ran its mission on which he had dreamed of dying. Suddenly heard the footsteps of his friend, Mr. Chia, Mandarin.
started a gentle and nostalgic conversation. Mandarin, like most Orientals, never say things directly. Was slowly showing how much he would miss the priest and the garden. E unexpectedly referred, not without some discomfort, to life in the hereafter. And he told the priest who would love to get into heaven by her door.
Francisco, the principle is not realized, finally said, surprised that he was raising Chia. Then, true to himself, asked if Mandarin was doing it for friendship or faith. And the answer was, of friendship and faith. Both were brothers and that his master, therefore, was to be his. And then be calm, knowing that one day their souls would be in the garden of our Lord.
The priest said, going to church ...
The parting was very different upon arrival. It was all the people, the authorities, the nuns, the new priests, Mr Chia with her son and his family, and Joseph, who surrounded on all children tried to make a speech on his memory and then end up saying the words out of his heart.
The priest gave his last order:
"Double serving of honey for children."
The mission choir sang her favorite hymn. He tried to say something but the crowd and the speeches were not his specialty. Simply blessed with crisp voice and moist eyes said what was missing.
The arrival in Scotland was difficult. He had to fight for his friend Anselmo, now the great bishop, give him a parish in his hometown. Nora's daughter had also died and the priest took him under his care for his son Andrew. The parishioners did not understand
very well to this Eastern-looking old priest. Said and did strange things. He once said: "Christ was a great man, but Confucius had a better sense of humor !!!!!".
And the parish's finances were a disaster.
The comments came quickly to the Bishop, who had to send an inspector. Kindly treated, the latter, to convince him to be better in a nursing home for priests, but Francis said it was better in the parish, taking care of Andrew and going fishing from time to time.
The official visitor had almost taken his decision, but the night before was revealed from reading the diary of the priest, it had written for the sole purpose of recording your memories.
The next morning, everything had changed. Condemning the air had disappeared. The priest was surprised. "" So do not say anything against me to the Bishop? ". "Nothing." "It was an honor to meet you, Father Chisholm ...."
do not quite know whether or not Francisco understood what was happening. No matter. As if nothing had happened, took the hand of Andrew, the fishing rod, and told him how good it was God who had made the fish.
Many readers will wonder why they had not heard before about Father Francis Chisholm. Francis is is a character in a novel, "The Keys of the Kingdom," written by AJ Cronin and published in 1941, before Vatican II (1965). So it does not exist? In some ways, no. But who cares? In a novel it is important to read the agreement and the truth is not on the existence of the characters, but the symbols and meanings that the author wants to give the reader. And in that sense there is more truth in this novel than in the biography of many people who came and made millions of people suffer.
I have not read more than 4 novels in my life, I regret to say (the others were The Citadel, The Green Years and The Cardinal). Zero in literature, ok. But I have reread this million times, I open to any page and immerse myself in a heady world of kindness and courage. The first read it when I was 12 and formed much of my worldview.
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