By Monica Graham
The Chronicle-Herald
November 22, 2009
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Books/1154050.html
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| Linden MacIntyre read from his Giller Prize-winning novel The Bishop’s Man to an appreciative crowd in Antigonish earlier this month Photo by MONICA GRAHAM |
ANTIGONISH — Linden MacIntyre did not expect another Roman Catholic Church sex scandal as he penned The Bishop’s Man.
He figured that once a handful of priestly perpetrators of child sex abuse were caught and convicted, it was safe to explore the subject of moral dilemmas.
So, in The Bishop’s Man, he aimed to get inside the head of a priest deciding whether to do the right and responsible thing or to serve an employer’s desire to cover up the wrong thing.
"This could happen in a bank or a newspaper, but it’s a priest in a church," Mr. MacIntyre said in Antigonish, three days after the Nov. 10 ceremony awarding the novel the Scotiabank Giller Prize.
From that viewpoint, it was unfortunate that at about the time the book was released, and as if to pick a scab on a healing wound, Bishop Raymond Lahey of Antigonish diocese was charged with possession of child pornography. That was followed by more allegations of sexual abuse on the part of Roman Catholic priests.
The circumstances "framed the book the wrong way," Mr. MacIntyre said. "This is not a dirty book. It’s got nothing to do with Bishop Lahey. It makes me cringe to think that people will think that I’ll benefit in some way from that."
Before a receptive audience of about 130 people, Mr. MacIntyre described how he wanted to explore why people do bad things, and how one bad act can psychologically poison generations.
"How do you tell that story in journalism?" said Mr. MacIntyre, co-host of The Fifth Estate on CBC-TV, a Cape Bretoner who still has an accent, and a 45-year veteran journalist.
Taking the advice to write about what one knows, he chose a Catholic priest thrust into a small Cape Breton community. There, Father Duncan MacAskill is forced to question his role in helping the diocese hide the sexual activity of its supposedly celibate clergy.
"At the end, his humanity took over," Mr. MacIntyre said.
He admitted that the book is not hard on priests, most of whom he admires for their dedication to their communities and to social justice, especially in Antigonish, where there is a long-standing tradition of clergy involvement in economic and political issues.
Heads nodded in agreement when he criticized the church for calling itself universal when it ignores the female half of humanity and forces its male servants into unnatural celibacy. He could find no Scriptural basis for celibacy but plenty against the common practice of divorce, he said.
Joking that he hadn’t intended to sermonize, he said, "I’ll get into trouble. I’m in Antigonish."
The book forces personal reflection, audience member Stan Mizgala told Mr. MacIntyre during a question-and-answer session.
"It is a fine, fine instrument for us to examine ourselves."
Mr. MacIntyre was initially worried that faithful church people like his mother would be upset by the book. His mother’s faith is unshaken, and since winning the $50,000 Giller Prize, he has received positive feedback from all over the world.
"I hope the issues in the book get wider discussion," he said.
Contact: mgraham@herald.ca
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