Books

THE CASTLE OF HEAVENLY BLISS

Reviewed by Michael Gilchrist

Contents - Mar 2005 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Pray for John Paul II ... - Peter Westmore Vocations: Australian diocesan seminary numbers continue to increase - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Cinema: Hollywood's Kinsey whitewash - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Moral divisions among the Christian Churches threaten ecumenism - Archbishop Barry Hickey Dissent: Notes from a theology unit at Australian Catholic University Church's future lies with orthodoxy, not dissent - Fr Paul Stuart Culture: Secularism, not religion, is threatened with extinction - David Quinn Events: Holy Week Celebrations - Classical Roman Rite A young Catholic's encounter with Latin at Chavagnes International College - Alexander Morrison Adult Education: Sydney Centre for Thomistic Studies continues a great teacher's legacy - Audrey English Letters: Priestly celibacy (letter) - Barbara Chigwidden Letters: Overseas priests and racism - Fr Peter Joseph Letters: Reporting abuses is not spying (letter) - Fr Edward P. Evans Letters: Mangled hymns (letter) - Michael Apthorp Letters: Orthodox young priest (letter) - John David Letters: Abortion (letter) - Fr Austin Kenny CP Letters: Leadership needed (letter) - Tom King Letters: AIDS prevention (letter) - Dr Arnold Jago Letters: Bible and Church (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Layman saint Bob Santamaria (letter) - J.W. McMahon Letters: Convert (letter) - Jeff Harvie Letters: Information sought on Kathleen Cecilia Butler (letter) - John G. Brown Letters: Latin Mass (letter) - Alan Freckelton Obituary: The passing of a holy, many-talented Jesuit - Fr Victor Ian Falconer SJ - Michael O'Callaghan Books: DOLLFUSS: An Austrian Patriot, by Fr Johannes Messner - Alice von Hildebrand Books: THE CASTLE OF HEAVENLY BLISS - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: Books to read in 2005 Reflection: The Holy Trinity and the Church: the truth will set you free - Fr John O'Neill

THE CASTLE OF HEAVENLY BLISS by Gerard Charles Wilson

(2004, 752pp, $34.95 plus postage. Available from Steele Wilson Books, PO Box 372, Greensborough Vic 3088, (03) 9434 5484, steele_wilson@iprimus.com.au)

Unlike most books these days dealing with Christianity and the Catholic Church - notably The Da Vinci Code - The Castle of Heavenly Bliss incorporates strong and accurate presentations of Church doctrines and practices within its absorbing plot. In effect, it represents a strong counter to the gnostic, feminist elements promoted in the Da Vinci Code.

Despite its rather daunting length, The Castle of Heavenly Bliss is a good read, with an engrossing story line, vivid descriptive writing and striking scene and character depictions. The scenes are set in a variety of locations, from rural Victoria and urban Melbourne to Paris and the Dutch Province of Zeeland.

More traditionally inclined Catholic readers will not only enjoy the plot and how the pieces finally fall into place but no doubt welcome the sympathetic and prominent place given to Church teachings, practices and traditions. Less-committed readers may find the somewhat proselytising style of these intrusive or off- putting.

Good and evil

The book takes its cue from certain 19th century novels as well as epics like Lord of the Rings where the line between good and evil is sharply drawn. As in Dickens' works, the good seem too good to be true, and the bad too bad to be true. But this serves the present novel's purpose and will no doubt be a refreshing contrast for many readers to the moral relativism that dominates our secular culture and much of its literature.

One hopes the book may win some converts to the Catholic view among less committed readers, but my feeling is that its main attraction will be for the already converted - particularly traditional Catholics.

The Castle of Heavenly Bliss is a monumental and commendable effort by one of our local Catholic writers and deserves to be well supported. Gerard Wilson has considerable skills as a novel writer, reminding one at times of Malachi Martin whose books, despite their sprawling length, generally hold the reader's attention to the end as this one does.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 18 No 2 (March 2005), p. 18