The Prudence of the Flesh - Book 4

The Prudence of the Flesh is a Father Dowling Mystery written by the late, great Ralph McInerny.  Dr. McInerny was a beloved professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame and a prolific writer.  I had never read any of his mysteries before, though I have tried to read a couple of his philsoophy books, have a dvd lecture series on Thomas Aquinas that I have only ever just started and some essays published in magazines.    I was supposed to save this for my Mystery a Month challenge, but so far I seem to be in the need for fairly light reads as I get back in the saddle of teaching at home and at our co-op.  I also am trying to read a very hefty autobiography by Samuel Gompers, so I just want easy reads for bedtime.

This book was really interesting.  I was put in mind of the Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers simply because the references made in the book are so erudite.  There's lots of Latin and discussion of great literature as well as some exposition of Catholic theology.  However, this book is thoroughly American and modern as well.  This is among the last of the mysteries Dr. McInerny wrote in the series before his death.  It deals with the scandals in the Roman Catholic Church that have erupted in the last decade or so.

Father Roger Dowling is a successful and long time priest who is pastor at St. Hilary's parish.  Even though the mystery series is written around him as the main character, he really isn't present very much in this book.  He does come into the investigation a bit more in the end and guesses who the murderer is.   I have to say that though I enjoyed this book, I did not buy the ending at all and found it a bit disappointing.

Father Dowling went to seminary and was good friends with another priest, Gregory Barrett.  Barrett, however, left the priesthood during that great time of exodus in the 1970s, married a former nun and carved out a career as a book commentator on NPR.    But then a woman comes forth with an accusation that he abused her and fathered her child back when she was only 16.  He knows this never happened, but it takes a long time and many twists and turns to clear his name.  There are many characters here, rather lowlife, though churchgoing Catholics, who aren't especially intelligent, a bishop, a couple of attorneys for the diocese as well as an ambulance-chaser bumbling lawyer.  A lot goes on in this book and it is all pretty interesting, but again, the end just didn't do it for me.  Also, there must be an ongoing bantering relationship between Father Dowling and his housekeeper that I just didn't quite get.  But perhaps if I wasn't reading the series so out of order, I might have a better take on that.

All in all, I enjoyed this read and I'll probably pick up another Father Dowling mystery soon.  Maybe one that was written a couple of decades ago, to see how different it might be from this later book.  But McInerny wrote so much!  It is kind of nice to know that when I am floundering around for a good read, I now have so many to choose from and explore!  Thank you, Dr. McInerny, for your contribution to Catholic intellectual life and your many novels and mysteries!  I hope you are resting in peace, the peace that passeth all understanding.

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