I loved
“The Parchment,” Gerald T. McLaughlin’s first book but
I’m utterly enchanted with his second book, “The Bishop of Lipoppo: A Fable.”
By the way, Gerry is the former dean of Loyola Law School where I worked in the
1980s. We’ve remained friends since then.
You can link to the posts at “The Parchment” and "A Book Better Than the DaVinci Code".
“The Bishop of Lipoppo” is billed as religious fiction, but it’s so much more than that. I was utterly charmed by this book about a simple African priest from the remote village of Lipoppo, Father Samuel Harbinger, who is somehow called to Rome to become a bishop. He sadly says goodbye to his friends and pet lion, Banda (who is touchingly anthropomorhpized) and from the time the priest steps off the plane, he rocks the Vatican with controversy. (I still giggle when I think of the Shebrew Prophets.)
I purchased the book from Amazon and read the 230 pages in one sitting I was so mesmerized by the characters. Never ever will I forget Father Harbinger dancing with an irate Pope, lending his cassock to a woman so she can satisfy the dress requirements for entrance to Saint Peter's Cathedral, and arguing with conservative Cardinal Martin Jensen over allowing animals at mass.
As I became more immersed in the book I understood why the protagonist’s name was Harbinger. He goes on to shock the Vatican by describing the governance of the Catholic Church as one of co-popes, the laity and the Holy Father. But, the controversy that surrounds Harbinger is not limited to the Catholic Church. He wins the Nobel Peace Prize, addresses the general assembly of the United Nations, and receives an honorary degree from Harvard University. When the Pope suddenly dies, the College of Cardinals gathers in Rome to choose his successor. With Bishop Harbinger back in Rome, controversy enters once again, as those in the Sistine Chapel convene to elect the new Pope.
But my favorite incident in the book was when Father Harbinger, along with Thaddeus, a taxi cab driver and Bartholomew, a sanitation worker who is searching for the perfect chocolate egg cream, walk to the Bronx Zoo from St. Patrick’s cathedral because he misses his lion Banda so much and wants to be with the animals. Others join them on the way and then I realized this was a pilgrimage.
When I asked Gerry what gave him the idea for this book, he said, “Well, it’s a fable, don’t forget. The story simply unfolded as the characters and the plotline revealed itself. It almost felt like it was writing itself."
I can easily see this book as a film and hope he is pitching it as such.
You’ll easily be able to tell that Gerry was born and raised in New York City when you read the book, by the way, and he told me he loved the Bronx Zoo. He earned his BA degree from Fordham College and graduated New York University Law School where he was managing editor of the Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. After teaching at the University of Connecticut, Fordham and Brooklyn Law Schools, he became dean of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he currently serves as dean emeritus and professor of law.
And Gerry tells me that he is already hard at work on his next book which you can read about at the link in the first paragraph.
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