“It is the business of the artist to uncover the strangeness of truth.”
Flannery O’Connor
It’s often said that truth is stranger than fiction. Nobody is more familiar with this reality than Fr. Damian Ference, who, as a priest, is often witness to life’s most dramatic and mysterious events. In his new book, The Strangeness of Truth, meditations on the incarnation and resurrection are presented alongside scenes from his own life: a midnight call to the ICU to baptize a premature baby, a toddler throwing up in his office, the empty afternoon after his mother’s death. Rendered in colorful detail and paired with theological meditations, these stories highlight the close relationship between mundane strangeness and eternal mystery.
The Most Reverend Nelson J. Perez, Bishop of Cleveland, said in his Foreword, “More than simply a book, The Strangeness of Truth is a moving letter to those who search and yearn for meaning. It speaks to those who are restless, who are filled with questions and looking for answers to the many challenges and contradictions that we all find in the course of our journey. The Strangeness of Truth is a profound reflection on the treasures of the Catholic faith, seen and presented through the eyes and heart of the personal journey of the author. As a young man, Damian Ference encountered the Risen Christ in a powerful way. This encounter would eventually lead him to leave behind his youthful dream to be a “rock star” and to give his life to Jesus Christ and all of humanity as a priest in the Catholic Church. He is now a star of a different kind, much like the Star of Bethlehem. Today, Father Damian shows the way to others, the way to a life of faith in the person and vision of Jesus Christ who, after all, is the Way! In this book, written as a moving letter to all of us who search, we can see the unfolding of our own lives. We follow Father Damian through life, with all its ups and downs, twists and turns, as he shares the stories of his own life and faith journey. Through it all, he discovers meaning and purpose in the treasure of the Catholic faith.”
The Strangeness of Truth is a book for those exploring the Catholic faith for the first time, or for the first time in a long time, or perhaps hoping to understand the faith in a way that they haven’t heard it presented before. Author Ference writes, “I am writing to you not only as a Catholic priest but also as a man who has come to find himself most fully alive in communion with the One who is Life itself, and in the Church that he founded almost two thousand years ago. I was ordained one year after the clergy sex-abuse scandals rocked the Catholic Church in 2002, so I am not blind to the human weakness, hypocrisy, cowardice, greed, and arrogance that is at times on display in Catholic living. But I’ve also been an eyewitness to the kindness, courage, honesty, generosity, and humility of countless women and men who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and refer to the Catholic Church as their Mother and Teacher. I believe what the Catholic Church holds and teaches to be true, and this book is my attempt to present the beauty, the mystery, the challenge, the consolation, and the joy of Catholicism to you in an honest, human, intelligent, humorous, and incarnational manner.”
Fr. Ference’s approach to truth is that it is something essentially personal and incarnational. While his explanations reveal a deep knowledge and love of truth, in its glory and grandeur, his stories remind us that the same truth is also present in everyday life, hidden in plain sight. Whether reminiscing about his childhood obsession with Guns ‘n’ Roses or giving the Thomistic definition of love, he approaches broad subject matter with candor and wonder, relating basic tenets of the Faith in a clear, conversational style. The Strangeness of Truth will spark a renewed love and appreciation for the doctrines God has revealed to us and help us see them for what they really are—strange, timeless, and beautiful.
Who is this book for?
Perhaps you were raised Catholic but haven’t been practicing your faith for a while. This book is for you. Perhaps you went to Catholic grade school and high school or even Catholic college but stopped practicing your faith a while back because it didn’t seem relevant to your life anymore. This book is for you. Perhaps you once had very strong faith and then life came at you with terrible suffering through the death of a loved one, sickness, a break in a most important relationship, or some existential crisis. This book is for you. Perhaps you are new parents who have decided that your son or daughter needs to be raised in a faith that has greater wisdom and values than the world has to offer. This book is for you. Perhaps you are a student and your teacher or professor wants you to read something that presents Catholicism in way that ties personal narrative and theology together. This book is for you. Maybe you are a seeker, a searcher, a man or woman on a journey looking for answers to questions about the meaning of life in general and Catholicism in particular. This book is for you.
Are you wondering if this book is for someone you love? The gift of a book opens the door to the power of the Holy Spirit. Take advantage of this new release offer and save 20% on The Strangeness of Truth. (Offer valid through February 4, 2019)