Commemoration of St. Ambrose: An Excerpt from WARRIOR MONK

On the Commemoration of St. Ambrose of Milan (December 6), an excerpt from WARRIOR MONK: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL. A good deal of the story in this thriller takes place at the St. Ambrose Retreat House on Long Island…

Stephen could, well, feel it. He wondered when the last time such unity existed among so many Christian leaders gathered in one place.

And this nearly euphoric feeling continued throughout the pope’s historic press conference. The questions, though politely put, reflected the usual ignorance and bias Grant had come to expect from so much of the media. 

Theocracy? 

Imposing your religious views on others?

Doesn’t the church have enough problems of its own? 

Given the Crusades, Inquisition and pedophilia scandals, why should anyone listen? 

And so on.

But this pope – no, Stephen reflected – this man, flawed and sinful like any of us, answered each question calmly, thoughtfully, and with disarming kindness. And with a mix of principle, faith and humor, Pope Augustine gained a kind of attentiveness among members of the media that few, if any, in public life could have even hoped for, and many politicians would have killed for. Congressman Ted Brees came to Stephen’s mind.

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.