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Brian J. Gail delivers a powerful and insightful lecture on the horrific spiritual condition that humanity has degenerated into. This took place at the Archiocese of Denver, CO. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput was present for the event.
Denver, Colo., Oct 8, 2010 / 05:47 am (CNA).- Acclaimed Catholic novelist Brian Gail (author of Fatherless), spoke Wednesday at the Archdiocese of Denver’s John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization. Addressing the subject of “Fatherhood in a Fatherless World,” Gail examined the social concerns behind his planned trilogy of books, and urged audience members to make their lives and families beacons of light in times of moral and spiritual darkness.
Gail’s talk focused on the destructive effects of the 1960s Sexual Revolution, in which preexisting conditions of social volatility – brought about in the first half of the 20th century by industrialization and war – erupted in unprecedented ways. Gail acknowledged that his generation of Baby Boomers, by taking on a contraceptive mentality toward sex, had “devalued the currency of fatherhood,” and left their descendents suspicious of God-given responsibilities.
The results of this “devaluation,” he said, were “ruinous to the body and to the soul,” causing a “cataclysmic identity crisis” for his generation and their descendents. But, Gail asserted, many Catholic bishops and priests failed to respond to this crisis, instead shrinking from presenting the fullness of Church teaching about human sexuality. (more…)
(via Shadows of Augustine) I recently read Fatherless, a novel written by Brian Gail and published by Human Life International. I found the book to be a fairly easy and compelling read. I had no trouble completing the 500+ pages in about a week. I joined a few other men for a discussion of the book and the issues raised by it.
The story looks at the moral dilemmas facing three Catholic families who seek guidance from a young associate pastor. One case explores the way in which the pharmaceutical industry achieved cultural and governmental approval of oral contraceptives in spite of the serious medical risks to women. The second case follows the marketing of premium cable channels and the infiltration of smut as entertainment into the homes of unsuspecting families. (more…)
LONDON, July 12, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster has announced it will host its annual Theology of the Body lecture on September 14 in honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s scheduled visit to Great Britain that month. The lecture, entitled “In the Service of Woman – Men are Called to Greatness,” will be given by Brian J. Gail, author of the Christian novel Fatherless.
Edmund Adamus, the Director of Pastoral Affairs for the Diocese, told LifeSiteNews.com that the event “will hopefully play some small but not insignificant part in setting the proper and better scene and ambience in which to receive the Vicar of Christ.”
Both the theme of the talk and its speaker, he said, were chosen to highlight the modern secular crisis: the topic for the talk, for example, is intended to serve as a response to the blurring of gender differences that runs rampant in Great Britain and the world.
“More and more people are beginning to realize that the feminization of masculinity and the laddish culture that haunts the development of young girls and women is not providing the answers to life’s deepest questions about human love and relationships,” said Adamus. (more…)
(The Catholic Exchange) The title alone intrigued me: Fatherless.
From a Catholic perspective “Father” becomes a multi-dimensional word that can encompass the role of pastor, biological father, care-giving father and Heavenly Father — at the very least. Then to imagine any of these roles in a way that would constitute the “less” part of the title, well, I was anxious to get answers to my questions and so approached Brian J. Gail’s novel with gusto.
Halfway through the 540 page work, I began to see that no “wrapped up in a bow” resolutions to all the masterfully interconnected lives and events were forthcoming. I remember having a bit of a panic as I continued to read and started thinking to myself, how am I going to write a review of this book? (more…)
(Original Source) I’m not sure how to describe this book so I’ll just write a short review and let you read it yourself. Fatherless is the story of a parish priest and the families he ministers to during the 1980’s. In it the author touches on the issues of pornography, contraception, demonic possession, and unfaithfulness in a marriage. In addition Gail focuses on the issue some Catholics deal with, they search for the truth and it seems that their parish isn’t providing it as deep as they’d like. Gail doesn’t shy away from saying when one should and when shouldn’t receive Holy Communion. Although there are straight messages on each issue, the author fits them into the story so that they don’t feel pushed. I think that’s why I liked this book so much. Gail was willing to talk about things most people would like to ignore, the sins we push to the back of our minds and try to talk away, saying they don’t matter, everyone is doing them.
If you are looking for a book that will help you understand the Catholic Church of the 1980’s while still having an enjoyable read I recommend Fatherless. Though it’s over 500 pages it’s such an engaging read that I finished it in a day.
You can order Fatherless here.
As the Year of the Priest slowly draws to a close, I am very happy to announce that HLI is now the exclusive publisher for the widely acclaimed Catholic novel by Brian J. Gail, Fatherless – “a book dedicated to priests in the Year of the Priest”.
But this book was not written just for priests: There is something to be found in this book for everyone, in every walk of life. Why? Because it takes on the pervasive moral issues of our day….contraception, adultery, pornography, demonic influence and more. This book provides a realistic and up-close look at what happens to a culture that is left spiritually “Fatherless”. I am especially encouraged by the way it is being received by college students and young married couples.
Fatherless is the first volume of what the author has dubbed the “American Tragedy in Trilogy”. It will be followed later this year by the highly anticipated sequel, Motherless, and finally (next year) Childless.
What is so special about Fatherless? This novel is the first of its kind. Upon reviewing Fatherless, the Catholic News Agency described Brian J. Gail as a “Catholic author writing to change a generation.” With the impact of this book, he is doing just that.
As a cradle Catholic, the author brings his profound grasp of the Faith along with his experience as a former semi-pro athlete, Fortune 500 senior executive, and entrepreneur to this Catholic novel, pulling the reader in while informing and catechizing through the lives and dialogue of its characters.
In life, we cannot always understand what God is preparing us to do in order to further His Kingdom. At age 20, Brian Gail was viewed as a top baseball prospect for the Major Leagues. It was said that he had a natural release that produced an exceptional “power and velocity” rarely seen in pitching. An unfortunate injury ended his hopes for the draft and permanently altered his course in life. Yet today, with hindsight one can now see how the experience he gained in the life God laid before him is drawing more souls to a closer understanding of God’s perfect plan for us. The fruits of Fatherless reveal that God has also blessed Brian Gail with a “natural release” of storytelling in his unique style that carries a “power and velocity” to move hearts that is rarely seen in catechesis.
I was honored to endorse Fatherless as soon as I finished reading it:
“In the Catholic novel Fatherless, author Brian J. Gail takes dead aim at the pervasive denials and chronic weaknesses that afflict men of every age, but especially men of the post-Pill generation. I think the greatest contribution of Mr. Gail’s book is the honest presentation of real-life scenarios of how much damage the Pill has caused men and their relationships with women. No one thinks that the Pill is a man’s issue, but Gail shatters that denial with his insightful rendering of the accounts of woe that follow in the train of the poison Pill. All men, not just Christians, need to read this and weep (in repentance) and then get up and make a difference in the world by taking on themselves once again the role of the virtuous man, father and warrior.”
Dr. Janet Smith, renowned speaker about the destructive effects of the Pill, had this to say about Fatherless:
“…The research alone that went into Fatherless is phenomenal….This fast pace thriller provides amazing insight into the struggles of a young priest challenged by laity to deepen his commitment to the Lord…as well as the difficulties experienced by young families trying to live their faith in a hostile culture….I enjoyed it immensely.”
Other endorsements from Judie Brown, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, Christopher West, the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, and others can be found here.
Fatherless is a unique new tool and a perfect fit in HLI’s mission to carry out the evangelization of the Gospel of Life. Reading this book enlightens the reader to both the physical damage to the body and the spiritual harm to souls wrought by the Pill.
Fatherless is now being read in seminaries, book clubs, schools, and by young couples! This is why we are so excited about Fatherless, and why it is now close to becoming a Catholic Best Seller.
I am making this special outreach to you, our supporters, asking you to help us to spread the word: Fatherless is a wonderful book to share with your spouse, your friends, your grown children, and your parish priest.
Letter after letter from inspired readers reveal a consistent theme: that Fatherless helps those in the dark to better understand their Faith, and those who already understand it, to fall more in love with it.
Find out more about Fatherless, including how to purchase it, here.
And please join me in asking for the intercession of our Blessed Mother in converting hearts away from the contraception mentality and toward opening hearts and minds to the Truth.
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
(Catholic News Agency) – CNA recently reviewed “Fatherless,” a book that has been dubbed “the Catholic novel of our generation.” The book, however, isn’t simply just story, author Brian Gail says of his work, “I’m hopeful that the unrest which courses through its pages will spark something that will contribute to a renewal of the Catholic Church in America.”
Gail, a former Madison Avenue ad-man, semi-pro athlete, and father of seven first attempted to write a memoir. But he threw it away after the first chapter. “It was just awful,” he told CNA. “When I sat down to start again, a tale about a priest emerged. Nothing could have surprised me more.” (more…)
In a literary world comprised of the works of Danielle Steele, Stephen King, Nicholas Sparks and J.K. Rowling, many people have forgotten the power or purpose of the novel. What is normally used as an escape or for a bit of entertainment once had the power to change the world. Books like The Jungle, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Lord of the Flies both captivated their audiences and caused people to think and sometimes even act.
Brian J. Gail’s book “Fatherless” is a renaissance of the serious novel, and it even creates a new genre: the serious Catholic novel. I have to admit, when I first picked up the book, I thought I was in for a nice, entertaining story about some nice, Catholic people. Creating such a story, however, was not the author’s intent. Gail’s novel delves right into the heart of American Catholicism. His Church is neither the church of the pedophiliac priests which the media tends to overemphasize, nor is it the Church that many young people know today: a Church vibrant with the truth reemphasized by Pope John Paul II, ready to march for life, interested in going to Theology on Tap, and actively reminding Catholics to live their faith in the public square. (more…)
Dec. 16, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Today I conducted the most awesome interview I’ve experienced since LifeSiteNews began. Brian Gail is a former semi-pro athlete, former U.S. Fortune 500 CEO and much more. Over a year ago he completed a unique, 540-page modern fiction novel titled Fatherless. I just read the book. It is amazing. I won’t go into it in a lot of detail now since I’ll be writing an article on the novel and my interview with Gail in the next day or two.
Fatherless is for mature readers 18 and up and deals with our culture and many of the moral issues covered by LifeSiteNews, especially the social and health effects of the contraceptive pill. It does this in a very unique and incredibly effective manner – via a compelling, fictional story about the intertwined lives of a number of representative characters of modern western life. It is about the great moral and spiritual struggles and fatherlessness of the late 20th century, especially as they relate to the Catholic clergy, business professionals and family life. (more…)