Pastor Stephen Grant?

Stephen Grant is the pastor at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church on eastern Long Island. Grant is one of the more unique second-career clergy around, as he once worked for the CIA. Besides theology, his interests include archery, golf, writing, classic films, the beach, poker, baseball, and history. Grant also knows his wines, champagnes and brews. Oh yes, he generally dislikes politicians, and happens to be an expert marksman with a handgun and a rifle, while being pretty handy with a combat knife as well.

Friday, December 7, 2012

St. Ambrose on December 7 and in Warrior Monk

The life and contributions made by St. Ambrose are noted on December 7.

St. Ambrose also was highlighted in Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, as a good portion of the story takes place in the St. Ambrose Retreat House on the Gold Coast of Long Island.

Pope Augustine in the novel talks a bit about St. Ambrose in the following excerpt from the novel:


Grant was now following the Pope, his aides and security entourage up the staircase in the castle’s main lobby. 
Augustine stopped at the statue of St. Ambrose, and gazed at it. As this continued for several seconds, a silence descended in the large chamber. The Pope said, “He was interesting, St. Ambrose. During a tumultuous time of disagreement in the latter part of the fourth century, he tried to keep peace among Christians in Milan. And he was not even baptized when clergy and the people called for him to become the bishop. He did not want the job, but finally acquiesced, was baptized, and eight days later became the bishop. He would be one of the great Latin Doctors of the Church. And as we talk about the Church’s role in the public arena now, it is worth recalling that Ambrose previously was a lawyer and politician who came to be a powerful voice in the Church for celibacy and voluntary poverty. If that happened today, few, I think, would doubt the transformative power of faith in our Lord.” The Pope smiled, and most everyone else joined in with his infectious laugh.

Read more in Warrior Monk.


No comments:

Post a Comment