The Bishop's Man

by Linden MacIntyre

Book Overview

Father Duncan MacAskill has spent most of his priesthood as the "Exorcist"--an enforcer employed by his bishop to discipline wayward priests and suppress potential scandal. He knows all of the devious... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307357066
• ISBN13: 9780307357069
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Random House Canada
• Length: 399 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Eloquent and Beautifully Written

I recently finished reading The Bishop's Man by Canadian author and well known broadcast journalist Linden MacIntyre. What can I say but that the book was profoundingly beautiful in its descriptiveness and unique 'Cape Breton' voice, but also proundly disturbing and melancholy because of the subject matter. It takes place in the 90's when the news of the ongoing scandals within the Catholic church first begin to surface. It is written from the point of view of Father Duncan MacAskil - the Bishop's go-to man for covering up the sexual misdemeanors of fellow priests. It is raw, emotional and complex in it's treatment of the topic - definitely no pat answers here! Through multiple flashbacks which finally come together, we see into Father Duncan's troubled mind and past. It emanates from a place of truth and authenticity, and although there is a sense of satisfying closure at the end of the book, we are still left feeling reflective.. This is not an easy read, but it is a book that spurs you on to its conclusion. I recommend this book to anyone looking for something deeper than the typical feel good story.

What more can I say? I liked it.

I had no problem following the story. Once started it was difficult to put the book down. My one wish would be that it it was longer.

Very deserving of the Giller Prize

This book was well deserving of the Giller Award. When I was reading the book I was enjoying it so much I never wanted it to end. I felt I had met these priests and knew these places. I don't know if someone who wasn't acquainted with the small town Catholic experience would like it as much as someone who was familiar with Canadian Catholic culture. I could almost smell the furniture polish in cleanliness & sterility of the rectory uncluttered with the chaos of everyday working class family life. The ordinariness of deeply tragic events is superbly written.

Difficult but Worthy (3.5 stars)

The Bishop's Man was the 2009 winner of the Giller Prize which is Canada's top literary prize. Linden MacIntyre is an award winning Canadian journalist and this was his second novel. The story centers on Roman Catholic priest, Fr. Duncan MacAskill and is told from MacAskill's perspective. MacAskill is the man brought in by his Bishop, the Bishop of Antigonish (rural Nova Scotia, home of St. Francis Xavier University), to deal with problems. These problems often center around indiscretions by certain priests and more specifically sexual abuse. MacAskill's job has been to protect the church by removing the abusers from their situation by usually by transferring them to a distant diocese. He also speaks to the families of the victims to ensure that the scandals never surface. He always begins his conversation with the family by indicating that he absolutely believes what their son or daughter is saying and that they want to discuss what is being done to rectify the situation. Behind his back, MacAskill is referred to by other clergy members as The Exorcist. As we enter the story, Fr. MacAskill has been transferred as a parish priest to Creignish on Cape Breton Island just of the coast from mainland Nova Scotia. This is very near where he grew up and he knows many of the people. His transfer has been initiated to remove him from some of the controversy that's surfacing about some of the things he and the Bishop have done in the name of the church. The story focuses on MacAskill's tortured conscience. Although he has disdain for the acts of the priests he has removed from difficult situations, he begins to see the pain that he has proliferated and the crimes that he has covered up. He is a good man at heart who has effectively condoned certain horrific events. As a parish priest, he bonds with the people and suspects that abuse has occurred in that very place. His need to discover what has occurred is a major plot point in the book. I grew up a Catholic on the east coast of Canada and was very affected by the material. I have often discussed the topic of abuse in the church with my father who is a devout Roman Catholic. As reprehensible as the actions of certain priests were, I am equally digusted by the actions of senior officials of the church in covering these events up. It is such a shame in that by far the majority of priests that I have met are good people who were motivated by the need to help people. The actions that occurred in real life did a great disservice to them as they were tainted by events that has nothing to do with them and their faith. So, this book brought out a lot of emotion in me. In this story, clearly Fr. MacAskill and the Bishop have blood on their hands and the Bishop never really seems to get that. MacAskill gets it and seeks to atone for his sins. MacAskill plays the good soldier who is just following orders but the guilt nearly destroys him in the end. This novel packs a very strong emotional