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St. Atticus, and all our fictional saints, pray for us

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by Robert Morneau | Mar. 21, 2017 Soul Seeing

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The canonization process is mysterious to me. I know that it involves considerable time, necessitates a miracle or two, and can prove costly. Kenneth
Woodward guides us through the process in his excellent work, Making Saints: How the Catholic Church Determines Who Becomes a Saint, Who Doesnt, and
Why.

Although I have never been asked to participate in the process of saint-making, I have taken it upon myself to declare three new saints (sans money,
miracles, and a lengthy process). They all reside in the land of fiction.

In my audacity, I hereby declare Atticus Finch, Prospero and Dinah Morris to be in that great cloud of witnesses. I could also mention certain characters
from literature who didnt make the cut, but that is for another time.

Now, I realize that Atticus, Harper Lees attorney and father in To Kill a Mockingbird, has fallen on hard times, with rumors that in Lees other work he may
have associated with white supremacists at one time. But then, Augustine had his bad times as we read in the Confessions, yet he is a saint and doctor of
the church. Every saint, be it Ignatius or Francis or Elizabeth Ann Seton, had their flaws and yet they are the holy ones of God. So we have a right to induct
Atticus as well.

Why? Because this lawyer stood his ground in seeking justice, one of the seven attributes of Gods kingdom (the others: truth, life, grace, holiness, love and
peace). He was not successful in his defense of Tom Robinson (falsely accused of rape) but he did his best, endangering his own life and that of his children
in a racist culture. Atticus was a good father, a courageous lawyer, and a witness to what the kingdom is about. St. Atticus, pray for us.

Then there is Shakespeares Prospero, the rightful, exiled duke of Milan, in The Tempest. This play is filled with conspiracy and
NCR is looking for a
romance, with humor and tragedy. Antonio, Prosperos brother, usurped the throne and attempted to have Prospero and his
new intern! Gain
daughter killed. Alonso, the king of Naples, also participated in the deed. Throughout the play, there is alienation, division and
firsthand experience
chaos.
in a fast-paced
newsroom. Learn
Why should Prospero be canonized? Because at the end of the play everyone has been changed lets call it converted from sin
more.
to grace, from division to unity, from alienation to oneness. It is picture of redemption and Prospero was an agent of that
reconciliation. Alonso begged forgiveness of this crime; Antonio humbled himself and lived in the truth; even Trinculo and
Stephano, two drunken courtiers, sought repentance. Prospero was an agent of the kingdom. St. Prospero, pray for us.

Dinah Morris was a Methodist lay preacher in George Eliots Adam Bede. Dinah witnessed to a life of service, of being for others.
This was demonstrated not only by her preaching of Gods word but also by her constant concern for others. When Hetty Sorrel confessed to Dinah her
crime of murder, Hetty owned up to her crime and asked forgiveness. Here is another example of healing and salvation.

Is this not a saintly voice we hear in Dinahs discourse?

Do nothing without the Lords clear bidding.

God didnt send me to you to make light of your sorrow, but to mourn with you.

Our highest thoughts and best deeds are all given to us.

If one of the greatest needs in the world is for mentors and models, we do well to listen to and observe the deeds of Dinah. St. Dinah, pray for us.

A teacher I had in college was not only a good instructor, he was also a good poet. Fr. Gordon Gilsdorf composed this short, but powerful verse:

A Saint

We look

for mystic gold

and silvered ecstasy

and find a tempered, twisted

piece

of steel.

Atticus, Prospero, and Dinah are not golden mystics or ecstatic Christians. Rather, they are steely in their hunger for justice, reconciliation and compassion.
We can do no better than follow their holy example.

[Bishop Robert Morneau, auxiliary bishop emeritus of Green Bay, Wis., serves as pastor of Resurrection Parish in Green Bay. His many books of poetry
include The Color of Gratitude. All Soul Seeing columns are available online at NCRonline.org/blogs/soul-seeing.]

The Tempest
Prospero
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Dinah Morris
Atticus Finch

This story appeared in the March 24-April 6, 2017 print issue.

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LifeoftheLay
18 hours ago
This was a rather good mocking article from stem to stern and from the hand of Bishop.
 6 Reactions Flag React Reply

John Hobson
17 hours ago
RD neither liked it nor understood it.

6 Reactions Flag React Reply

Chrizmart
16 hours ago
In reply to:

This was a rather good mocking article from stem to stern and from the hand of Bishop.
LifeoftheLay

Mocking? Nah! Lighthearted, whimsical and entertaining.

Every article, however 'heavy' its subject-matter, should be seasoned with these qualities. Makes for a better read.

5 Reactions Flag React Reply

Jim McCrea
10 hours ago
In reply to:

RD neither liked it nor understood it.

John Hobson

Some of the sentences were too compound or complex for Li'l Lola.

3 Reactions Flag React Reply

2Be4Peace
15 hours ago
Well, why not a few heart grown saints!
Consider St. Patrick who got there by public acclaim rather than a nod from hierarchy.
And I have encountered my own street saints. Like St. Mario, a homeless fellow whose poverty of spirit taught me volumes using very few words.
Of late we seem to have watched the demise of many a hero... Lance Armstrong is an example of the myth and the man. So many of us wanted him to be "real" that
the betrayal fell hard on many. Discernment comes late sometimes...
Probably my best read on saint selection came from Lawrence Cunningham's Trilogy. In Vol. 1 The Catholic Heritage he takes the time to track through the patterns
of lineage, of the bloodlines of saints and the assumptions made by merely being born into a "saintly" line.
Perhaps what we are being shown is that our 'saints' like beauty are often recognized by the beholder and are gift designed to fit a place in the heart to bare fruit
nurtured by the grace of God.

3 Reactions Flag React Reply

Jim McCrea
10 hours ago
Mychal Judge.

3 Reactions Flag React Reply

2Be4Peace
7 hours ago
You do what God has called you to do. You show up. You put one foot in front of another. You get on the rig and you go out and you do the jobwhich is a
mystery. And a surprise. You have no idea when you get on that rig. No matter how big the call. No matter how small. You have no idea what God is calling you
to. But he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us.Fr. Mychal Judge, addressing NY Fire Department Engine 73, Ladder 42, Bronx, NY, homily of September
10, 2001, one day before he died administering last rites at the World TRADE CENTER bombing.
Amen Amen Amen

1 Reaction Flag React Reply

Steven Shea
14 hours ago
"Atticus, Prospero, and Dinah are not golden mystics or ecstatic Christians. Rather, they are steely in their hunger for justice, reconciliation and compassion."
Great article, Robert! I propose three more fictional saints. How about Sissy Jupe from Charles Dicken's "Hard Times?" She is a simple child who suffers under the
reign of terror of her teacher, Mr. McChoakumchild. Despite her poor education and lowly status, she never stops doing the right thing. Platon Karataev, Pierre
Besuhov's fellow prisoner in Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace," saves Pierre from nihilism. Also, Bishop Myriel in Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" is the very picture of a
saintly do gooder. Not only does he give Jean Valjean a gracious welcome, but when Valjean steals his silver he tells the police he gave it to Valjean. Valjean converts
on the spot and becomes a do gooder himself.

6 Reactions Flag React Reply

 Mike AA
14 hours ago
As I began reading your post, I thought to myself, "I can't hit the 'Like' icon if he doesn't include Bishop Myriel (even though I didn't remember his name). I'm
delighted to "Like" your post!

3 Reactions Flag React Reply

Sarasi1
11 hours ago
In reply to:

"Atticus, Prospero, and Dinah are not golden mystics or ecstatic Christians. Rather, they are steely in their hunger for justice, reconciliation and compassion."
Great article, Robert! I propose...
Steven Shea

Oh, good. Someone picked up the ball. I'll jump into another category and propose Dickens himself as a saint. As someone who put the excesses of the industrial
revolution on trial thru his books.

3 Reactions Flag React Reply

ATF
17 hours ago
Resurrection Parish in Green Bay is very lucky to have this perceptive man to serve their parish. Thank you, for giving me food for thought on what courage and
faith working together can look like. Oh, and stubbornness - Atticus Finch was one of my first literary heroes.

6 Reactions Flag React Reply

John Barbieri
18 hours ago
A pleasant, enjoyable article! Thank you!

6 Reactions Flag React Reply

R.Mo
13 hours ago
How about non-fictional and non-Catholic individuals who have exhibited those God-like attributes, e.g., Johnny Cash, MLK,Jr.?

1 Reaction Flag React Reply

lisamariejohnson
5 hours ago
Johnny could put away a case of liquor faster than MLK Jr could cheat on Coretta, so you do have a good point

1 Reaction Flag React Reply

Steven Shea
5 hours ago
Lisamariejohnson, and your good point is?

2 Reactions Flag React Reply

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Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird (Newscom/World History Archive)

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