Why a Novel Can Reach Where Theology Can't, with Thomas Curry

Belle Meade welcomes Thomas Curry, a mostly retired physician from Port St. Joe, Florida, to talk about his faith journey and his novel Miss Sally's Son. Raised Methodist, Thomas shares how his wife led him into the Catholic Church and how questions about Thomas Merton's life became the seed of a story about a lawyer searching for his father and his lost faith. It took him thirty years, he admits, to appreciate what he had joined. What We Talk About: Why Thomas enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam War, and how everyone he trained with shipped out to Vietnam while he never did How an unanswered question in Thomas Merton's life—a child he fathered before his conversion and never mentioned in his autobiography—inspired Miss Sally's Son A priest's challenge to Jack: no one can be a hypocrite before God, and the real reason he won't pray is pride Why Thomas and his wife pray the rosary every night, even over FaceTime when they're apart Resources Mentioned: Paloma&Fig Miss Sally's Son by Thomas Curry The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton The Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz Chapters: 00:00: Intro 00:30: Welcoming Thomas Curry and opening prayer 03:36: Thomas's conversion and his wife's influence 07:54: Joining the Army during the Vietnam War 12:25: How Thomas Merton inspired Miss Sally's Son 21:13: What a novel can do that apologetics can't 29:15: The distractions pulling Jack away from faith 35:19: Jack's struggle with prayer and pride 39:23: Choosing the rosary for Jack's return to faith 46:31: Why Augustine's journey mirrors Jack's 50:32: Advice for Catholics who see themselves in Jack 53:19: Where to find the book and what comes next Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.  Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com.  Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!