Pope Patrick [Hardcover]

Peter De Rosa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 1997

The year is 2009. America has its first Catholic president since Kennedy. The planet's other superpower is the Federation of Islamic Republics, stretching from Morocco to Pakistan. And in Rome, the aging Polish Pope, obstinate and combative to the end, has died, and the conclave of cardinals must choose a successor. After a great deal of argument and debate, they choose the least controversial candidate, the least political, the one least likely to upset the Vatican status quo--Brian O'Flynn, a kindly old Irish priest who reads Yeats and publishes obscure academic theses. At the moment of his election, a 300-pound ornamental pillar falls on his head.



Then all hell breaks loose.



Pope Patrick is the riotous story of a mild-mannered country cardinal who--through a democratic election, a twist of fate, and a little help from his golden Lab, Charley--turns the Vatican upside down and throws the industrial world into chaos. He deals once and for all with the thorny issues of contraception, the celibacy of the clergy, and the infallibility of the pope; sends the Dow Jones tumbling, and the hopes of the downtrodden soaring-and in the process brings the world to the brink of catastrophe.



By turns funny, tender, exciting, and controversial, Pope Patrick is a scathingly brilliant, delightfully droll novel of principles, power, and faith-the story of the holiest, bravest, most likable pope since St. Peter.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this satirical novel, Irish author and former Catholic priest De Rosa (Rebels, Fawcett, 1992)?whose Bless Me Father, which he wrote as Neil Boyd in 1977, spawned the BBC television series of the same name?takes on papal politics and the future of the world in the third millennium. In 2009, Republican Catholic Roone Delaney has defeated Sylvester Stallone for the presidency; the Ice War has succeeded the Cold War, with power balanced between the United States and the militant Federation of Islamic Republics; and Pope John Paul II has just died. A fluke nomination and a deadlocked ballot result in the election of Irish Cardinal Brian O'Flynn as Pope Patrick, and then the fireworks start. In three encyclicals, Patrick takes on sex (permissible only for procreation), money (to be provided to the poor interest-free, an idea that shakes financial markets worldwide), and nuclear arms (immoral). Patrick is a loving and lovable character whose logic is unarguable and whose story is sometimes funny, sometimes moving, and too often painfully plausible. Thought-provoking entertainment; for most collections.?Michele Leber, Fairfax Cty. P.L., Va.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

It is 2009, and John Paul II has died after raving on his deathbed, in dozens of languages, against contraception. Meanwhile, the U.S. has elected Roone Delaney the first Catholic, albeit Republican, president since Kennedy because his opponent, Sylvester Stallone, waffled momentarily on the prospect of nuking the entire Arab world, which, united as the Federation of (fundamentalist) Islamic Republics, is led by the militant Ayatollah Hourani. Into this predicament comes--though possibly brain damaged as well as, without question, inspired--a new pope. Irish and named after Saint Patrick. Who becomes the focus for former priest de Rosa's marvelous, engaging satire on priestly celibacy, contraception, the Vatican Bank, usury, and much more. Fast paced, tenderhearted but sharp tongued, and featuring a wonderful role for a Labrador retriever when the movie version is made, this is a delight. Patricia Monaghan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (February 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385485484
• ISBN-13: 978-0385485487
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, pointed and disturbing look at man and God, March 1, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Pope Patrick (Hardcover)

Anyone who ponders the role of religion in the modern world from the perspective of fealty to Christ's mission expressed in the Bible and voiced through the Catholic Church cannot ignore this book. Peter de Rosa speaks with a tongue planted firmly in one cheek and a pen held high over religious and government leaders not unlike a sword of Damoclese testing their values and exposing their hypocracies. Set twelve years in the future, the novel potends a not unlikely geopolitical future: a world again on the brink of nuclear annihilation. Now, however, the toe-to-toe death struggle is not between the West and the Soviets, but between the West and a pan-Islamic state bent on purging the world of infidels. Following the death of an elderly John Paul II, an unlikely compromise pope is elected, an unknown academic bishop from Ireland thought by the behind-the-scenes papal kingmakers to be a harmless new custodian of the Keys of the Kingdom. The new leader of the world's largest Christian congregation, this papal compromise proves not to fulfill the innocuous caretaker's role as expected. Driven by a abiding respect for the message of the Gospel and an all-encompassing love for God's living creation (including a dog named Charlie who sleeps at the foot of the papal bed each night and is served a dish of holy water when thirsty), Pope Patrick I proceeds to turn the Catholic and non-Catholic world at large on its head through a series of pronoucements and deeds that stun his Vatican Curia as well as the leaders of the major world government. At the same time, this self-proclaimed "chief of the poor" delights the impovrished, hungry and helpless across the planet. "Pope Patrick," by a former Catholic priest and bestselling author, demands reflection on the part of its readers while causing those readers sudden and uncontrollable bursts of laughter. How wonderful and how rare to read a book that warms the heart, brings a smile to the face and precipitates subsequent deep reflection in the mind on the bitter and distressing implications of the actions of those men and women who rule the nations. Expect mixed reactions to this book from the Catholic hierarchy and other religious leaders: Some will exclaim "blasphemy!" Others will proclaim it as inspired. Political commentators like Rush Limbaugh will undoubtedly declaim against it as a treat to capitalism and a commie-plot. You, however, will call it a "procking" hell of a read (you'll find the definition to "procking" in the book and may be tempted to append it to your vocabulary)

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pope Patrick, February 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Pope Patrick (Hardcover)

This is the best book I've read for years. It's a biting satire of much of the (near-future) Roman Catholic Church, but the author is never blasphemous or derogatory of Christianity. De Rosa is deeply spiritual, especially when speaking of Ireland, tender, gentle, at times terrifying, and at times so funny that I ended up laughing aloud at the mechanic's. I especially recommend it for anyone interested in Irish spirituality or the current problems in Roman Catholicism---it's the best thing since "Shoes of the Fisherman" in this genre.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A true lift of spirit, but ending in a plummet to the rocks., May 1, 1998

By 

Jessica Orsini ([e-mail]) (Columbia, Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pope Patrick (Hardcover)

"Pope Patrick" is by far the funniest and most cynical review of the Vatican to reach print in the past hundred years. It leaves you rolling in your seat, and at the same time reaffirms one's belief that things can turn out right despite everyone who stands in the way.

Unfortunately, the "surprise ending" in the last few pages completely shatters the aforementioned good feelings, and instills a depression that hasn't been matched since "Apocalypse Now."

If you truly want to make someone's Friday and Saturday but destroy their Sunday, hand them "Pope Patrick".