Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["RHONDA MCDONNELL" <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com>]

wasn't the first one you mention the guy that wore the jumpsuits and acts 
more like a building super than a priest? Jack Curl maybe? The second was 
Fr. Weatherbee, whose rant regarding the behavior of Americans is 
genius--wasn't the quote something about his silly (or simple), holy face? 
Weatherbee is definitely linked to Fr. Smith. He seems to be daft but he's 
really the one that's onto something that no one else is paying attention 
to. He knows the truth of things. That's why Will asks him the important 
questions. Worth noting is that the priests in 2nd Coming are Anglican (as 
is the priest Lance is named for in Lancelot).

--Rhonda
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. -- WB Yeats


> From: <Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com>
> Reply-To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion" 
> <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> To: <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
> Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 10:23:07 -0700
>
> A couple of priests played pivotal roles in The Second Coming.  I don't
> recall his name, but the parish priest always trying to encourage Will
> Barrett to join his church's men's group outings and otherwise come
> "into the fold" was one, and represented the kind the extreme
> earnestness which Percy, or at least Barrett, found simultaneously
> cloying and yet not unimportant to a community.  The second was an
> older, former renegade missionary who jolts Will into his final,
> redemptive awareness that "a gift may be a sign of a giver."  I found
> this Percy novel to be his most accomplished and accessible: a solidly
> grounded meditation on suburban malaise and self-delusion, an effective
> and prescient social satire (Will's daughter's "new-age" enthusiasms are
> hilarious), and a touching love story.  Not easy to pull off.  It
> tracked a character straight through from the impulse to suicide to a
> saving awareness without ever resorting to the kind of dopey flourishes
> of so many other social satires of the time - and afterward.  Basically,
> Will Barrett loses his mind without ever losing his head.  I also
> appreciated the fact that it followed up on Will Barrett after leaving
> him off in a Santa Fe wasteland so many years before.
>
> Peace.
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Dye, Steve
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 7:35 AM
> To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
> Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
>
>
> You are asking a very loaded question - it will be interesting to see
> the responses you get!
>
> Steven L. Dye, MA
> Director
> Bluegrass MH-MR Board, Inc.
> 1500 Leestown Road, Suite 338
> Lexington, KY 40511
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Gray, Rich
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 10:31 AM
> To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
> Subject: Re: [percy-l] LITR
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Dye, Steve [mailto:sldye AT bluegrass.org]
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 9:43 AM
> To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
>
> Have any of you considered the role of priests in Percy's novels?  Is
> there any common thread?
>
> In The Moviegoer is there a priest?  The role grows into a main
> character in The Thanatos Syndrome, Father Reynaldo Smith.  There must
> be a purpose for these priests.
>
> As a Protestant Christian, I would like to know if Catholic Percy
> readers see any of these priests as realistic.
>
> Rich Gray


> --
> An archive of all list discussion is available at 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
>
> Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy

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