Murder Mysteries and Mystics

There’s (hardly) anything more enjoyable in life than browsing in bookshops. My interests - under the letter ‘M’ - include murder mysteries and mystics. A visit to London means an obligatory pilgrimage to Foyles and a couple of hours in St. Paul’s Bookshop, beside Westminster Cathedral. Foyles is for murder mysteries, St. Paul’s for theology, spirituality, sacraments, music, homiletics, holy pictures, sacramentals etc – and mystics.

Of course, you’ve got to be careful; some mystics have a depressing tendency to forecast the imminent end of the world and, if you have a football season ticket or are looking forward to a pension, that can be somewhat depressing. Indeed, private revelations are potential punji pits for the credulous.

Fortunately, the folk at St Paul’s are quite discerning – as might be expected of a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel - and the shelves are well worth a browse.
That was how I came across ‘Angel on my Shoulder’ by Val Conlon (the founder of Divine Mercy Publications Ireland). This is the story of an alleged encounter between an elderly man and his Guardian Angel, in which the angel answers his unresolved questions about life and the nature of God. Not a book about a mystic or by one, but definitely a supernatural ‘revelation.’

There is no Imprimatur or testimony from the Hierarchy, although the publisher’s introduction stresses that the book is in conformity with Pope Urban VIII’s decree on private revelations and it repeats the Pope’s warning that ‘the reader should always exercise prudence where alleged supernatural phenomena  not attested to by the Church, is concerned.’ Wise words indeed!

So, what of the contents, the revelations? Well, just to mention one tiny observation, it is suggested that women might be closer to God than men, and that more men than women go to Purgatory and for longer. You’ll have to read the book to find out why! I certainly enjoyed it and believe it is inspiring – - it raises the mind to higher things – but whether it is of supernatural origin or an outstanding piece of creative writing..well, the jury’s still out for me.      

I was reminded of this book when a friend – thanks Mady - recommended another personal revelation, ‘He and I’, by a French Catholic lay mystic called Gabrielle Bossis.

A gifted actor and dramatist for much of her life, Gabrielle heard a mysterious Voice, particularly in the last 14 years of her life, from the age of 62, and the resulting dialogue is recoded, diary-style. The Voice was believed to be that of Jesus, and, if Amazon reader feedback is to be believed, the book’s content is inspiring, even transforming. And it bears an Archbishop’s Imprimatur. I’m looking forward to reading it.