Father Christopher Hart, a young New York priest and classic film buff, is unwittingly drafted by the mob to hear the confession of a man slated for execution. This was not one of the duties he expected when he became a first-time pastor. Learning how to balance the books and safely navigate parish politics, yes; but playing a key role in the White Death--a mafia ritual in which a person condemned to death is allowed to confess his sins before he's killed--was not included on the Parish Leadership 101 curriculum. Should he ...
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Father Christopher Hart, a young New York priest and classic film buff, is unwittingly drafted by the mob to hear the confession of a man slated for execution. This was not one of the duties he expected when he became a first-time pastor. Learning how to balance the books and safely navigate parish politics, yes; but playing a key role in the White Death--a mafia ritual in which a person condemned to death is allowed to confess his sins before he's killed--was not included on the Parish Leadership 101 curriculum. Should he just do his job and collaborate with the mob for the sake of souls or find a way to stop the violence? Unrelentingly comparing his life to his favorite classic movies, Father Hart wishes he could just play the role of Father O'Malley from Going My Way , but he ends up playing a character more akin to Philip Marlowe from The Big Sleep . This riveting page-turner will entertain, but it will also drive the reader to grapple with important themes such as identity, purpose, justice, sin, and, ultimately, redemption.
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