Sic Semper Tyrannis

Whatcha Readin'?

I just got done reading a pretty inspirational book last night. It’s called Father Joe-The Man Who Saved My Soul, by Tony Hendra. I didn’t figure out until the Epilogue that Tony Hendra is the guy who played Ian Faith in the movie This is Spinal Tap.

Why is it inspiring? This guy, Father Joe Warrilow, was a monk that Hendra met when just a little boy and was a godly influence on him through his whole life. The book is largely about how Hendra ventured away from his youthful desire to be a monk, further and further away from the Catholic faith, further and further away from theism. Yet the whole time, something about Father Joe’s patient listening was always in the back of his mind. He still managed to keep track with Joe over the course of his life, if marginally at times, visiting him once a year or so as he became successful, got married a couple times, had kids, lost all faith... Anyway, I won’t spoil the good parts, but suffice it to say that Hendra tells his and Father Joe’s related stories very well. It’s sad to read about his depression, substance abuse, and existential crises and all that, but Father Joe is a rock.

Being not very informed about the ins and outs of Catholic life, it was interesting to also find out about how Catholic leaders sometimes view renunciates and their old-fashioned dedication to Benedictine life.

I’m glad I didn’t know who the author was while reading this book. It would have been hard for me to read some of the soul-baring contained therein with the image of Ian Faith’s “money talks and bullshit walks” face in my head.

I said at the outset that this is an inspiring story. It’s pretty simple. It’s the story of the power of a life lived well. For those who, like me, feel that theism and an ethical life are wrapped up in a Christian-looking package, there is a lot to look up to in the life of Father Joe: patience, contemplation, detachment from the world’s pettier concerns, kindness, humor, gentleness, humility, contentment…I have just enough cynicism towards “worldliness” that I would like to look like Father Joe.

Thanks, Lance, for the recommendation.

posted by Mike @ 1:35 PM