Book Review by Fr.
Michael P. Orsi
With the deaths of J.F.
Powers and Walker Percey, I despaired for the genre of
the Catholic novel until I read Bill Kassel's This Side
of Jordan. The story takes place in a small town in need
of economic revival. The idea of a festival with a play
loosely based on the town's founding is to be its
centerpiece. Kassel effectively uses the play to bring
the book's various characters and themes together.
This Side of Jordan,
however, is for the most part a contemporary morality
play. Kassel deftly shows how what began as an innocent
project filled with good will was destroyed by the
corrosive effect of personal sin. He also shows how
compromising moral standards in the name of modernity and
profit can dim people's minds and lead to devastating
effects.
As a subplot, which is in
fact the primary purpose of the book, Kassel tackles the
issue of homosexuality with great aplomb. He clearly
describes the Church's teaching and also ably refutes the
unsubstantiated claims of modern psychologists who posit
a "gay gene" that would legitimize sodomy.
More than this, because
of his long association with the clergy and rich
theological background, he is able to present the
Catholic case with firmness and, yes, pastoral
sensitivity through one of the characters, Father Karl,
who shows that these qualities are not mutually
exclusive.
For pastors, laity and
especially for those who are struggling personally with
homosexuality, Kassel provides a valuable framework for
understanding the psychological and moral issues
involved. He presents viable support programs which
promote chastity as an option for homosexuals and
considers reparative therapy which is designed to
reorient the person's sexual orientation as a
possibility.
Kassel handles other
time-sensitive issues which provide a positive response
to the cultural problems faced by today's Catholics. For
example, in Alan, the parish musician and a convert to
Catholicism, Kassel provides a healthy role model for
dating. He also describes how Alan is being guided by his
faith in discerning a possible future marriage to a
non-Catholic woman. With the increasing number of mixed
marriages and the reported dangers to the faith they
pose, Kassel realizes that this issue needs greater
discussion in today's Church.
Another problem Kassel
tackles is what are the appropriate funeral rites that
should be observed for the deceased who were only
marginally connected with the Church. He puts forth some
ideas of how to handle non-Catholic clergy who may make a
claim of pastoral authority over a person or family in
time of trouble or tragedy because of some past fleeting
encounter with them, perhaps in a Bible study group or
choir.
His presentation of these
cases act as a practical tool for clergy and laity
confronting similar circumstances.
Kassel has woven a
biblically sound story which emphasizes the effects of
personal and communal sin. Faithful to the genre, the
novel ends with the hope of redemption for those who live
by God's law.
Catholic reading clubs
and religious education programs should consider this
book as part of their curriculum. It will provide a
valuable jumping off point for informed discussion. The
book's apologetic content is solid, topical, practical,
and engrossing.
With this book, Kassel
has led us out of the desert which has experienced a
dearth in Catholic literature to the richness of the
promised land that only the Catholic novel can provide.
This book makes the reader long for more.
(Fr. Michael P. Orsi,
Ed.D., is a research fellow in law and religion at Ave
maria School of Law.)
-
- Reprinted from THE
WANDERER
- September 8,
2005
- Copyright ©
2005, The Wanderer Press
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