The Repentant Senator and the Reflections of Father Robert Garrett, OP: A Novella

By Patrick Knight

The story is about a US senator, his forebears who influenced him, his faith, and members of the clergy, especially his association with a Dominican priest, along with other incidents which finally culminated in his final reckoning. The priest in the story, Father Robert Garrett, has been primarily instrumental in the transformation of the US senator. Over half of the book includes the political-moral views of Fr. Garrett taken from many of his posts and letters to the editors of various newspapers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638445876

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The Repentant Senator and the Reflections of Father Robert Garrett, OP

A Novella

Patrick Knight

Copyright © 2021 by Patrick Knight

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Beginnings

The Senate Hearings

The Recess

Means and Ends

At Mass

The Confession

The Visit

Mommy, Mommy

The Deformed Knight

I dedicate this novel to all Catholic pro-choice.

Legislators: May they resemble the protagonist in this story and have a conversion of mind and heart.

President Donald Trump: May he be the best pro-life president ever.

Former President Barack Obama: I pray for his conversion, to usher in the culture of life.

All those priests and the religious: Your deeds and words have provided for me an abundance of spiritual refreshment during the times of cultural and spiritual aridity.

Codicil: Obviously as the reader can ascertain, the writing and publishing of this book, took place during the preceding presidential administration. Consequently, I would also like to include my prayers for Joseph Biden’s conversion, ironically a Catholic, to right to life, along with members of the hierarchy who for whatever reason, create scandal among the laity for not holding the President accountable for his actions in this regard.

The Prelude

Dear reader:

I would like to introduce myself to you. I am Father Robert Garrett, a Dominican priest and a good friend of Senator Thomas Kerrigan. I am also the rector at Holy Rosary Church which Senator Kerrigan and his family attend. For some time, I have asked the senator to put into writing his background and spiritual transformation so that others might be inspired to possibly transform their own lives by reading about it.

Recently, Senator Kerrigan acknowledged my request but only if I, with his help, would be the author; and so, with his blessing and a free hand, I took him at his word. After reviewing the material which the reader has before him/her, Senator Kerrigan okayed the publication and distribution of this book. Because of vanity and the desire to not wish to impose myself upon the reader by using the first person, I have desired to present the story for the most part in the third person.

With all of this said, dear reader, let the story unfold.

*****

Susan Lucky, a former aide to Senator Thomas Kerrigan, came to see him at his Senate office in Washington, D.C., one spring day at a time when there were few people in the area. She walked up to the door and knocked four times. The door opened and a sad but handsome face greeted her.

Hello, Susan, why do you wish to see me as if I didn’t know? Senator Kerrigan was at the time in his mid-forties, attractive, and in good physical shape due to his working out at the congressional gym as much as his schedule allowed. Although when you called me you were vague, I have a suspicion that you want more money. Otherwise, why would you want to come here?

I do need more assistance, Tom, said Susan.

Tom indignantly responded, I am already contributing to your assistance!

Susan pleaded, But, Senator, the baby is growing. He is already thirteen months old and is growing faster than I can keep him clothed.

Disgusted, Tom asked, How much do you want this time?

I need at least five thousand dollars more a month for the baby and me, Susan quickly responded.

Sarcastically, Tom said, You mean for you!

Have it your way, Tom. All I know is that I need more money, said Susan assertively.

Tom with some alarm remarked, I can’t do it! I have created this bogus charitable organization that my wife thinks I am contributing to. If I add sixty thousand dollars, she’ll become suspicious. I just can’t do it!

Well, Senator, said Susan arrogantly, if you don’t think that I’ll inform the press about our little sordid affair, then try me. I need the money and I know you can afford it. What do you think? Some right-wing tabloid would pay me to get the goods on you? Not to mention how your wife would react? Do you think that this information would enhance your political aspirations? After all, there is much talk in this town about your becoming the next Catholic president.

Tom said heatedly, You slut! What did I ever see in you? A pretty face, a comely body, what I thought were some brains!

And what are you, Senator? You call me a slut; after all, it takes two to tango. I have enough brains not to have had an abortion as you suggested, retorted Susan angrily. That would have been your undoing. In any case, what do you intend to do? blaringly Susan asked.

After a moment of hesitation, Tom responded, I’ll get you the money, somehow; but this has got to be the end of it. I can’t pay you anymore, and if you do decide to go to the press, whatever money you receive will be a one-time deal… Ultimately, your well will dry up.

Agreed, Tom. Susan smirked. She then walked out of the senator’s office.

At first, Tom had given sixty thousand dollars to Susan for six months; then she raised the ante to sixty-five thousand dollars. She now wanted seventy-five thousand dollars for the same amount of time. What story can I possibly make up, thought Tom, that my wife will believe about the increase in my charitable contributions? Would this be her last demand? Tom then remarked to himself that she was aptly named Lucky.

The Beginnings

Thomas Kerrigan was a third-generation American proud of his Irish background. Second to that had been his Catholic faith. His grandfather had come to this country with his young wife during the early part of the twentieth century. He carried his strong disdain for the English which by now, Tom, his progeny, had sense enough to overcome except on St. Patrick’s Day when he felt free to let loose with a few Irish jokes… Of course, as a senator from a state with one of the highest percentages of Catholics, but also a large number of Anglo-Americans, he did so off the record.

Although his grandfather, Sean, had come to the United States with hardly a dime in his pocket, he worked hard enough so that the next generation of Kerrigans managed to improve their lot. By Tom’s generation, the Irish could point to their generous acceptance into American society. In fact, they could boast of having had an Irish Catholic become president of this great nation.

Tom was born in Stony Mason (the state I shall leave to the reader’s imagination) in 1945. He was the youngest of three children. The eldest, Mary, did her parents proud with her striking good looks and intellectual prowess. She was chosen valedictorian of her graduating class and voted student most likely to succeed. Unfortunately, while on her way to Italy for graduate studies in architecture, she was killed in an airplane crash.

Tom’s older brother, Theodore, became a professional golfer. Although he never became a major player, he was able to eke out a comfortable living enabling him to support his wife and four kids. With Theodore constantly moving about because of his schedule, Tom rarely had a chance to see him, but often talked with him by phone.

Theodore’s wife, Alice, was an avidly committed Catholic. She became totally involved with the pro-life movement on both county and national levels. One of the early martyrs to the Operation Rescue movement, she had been arrested twice. With each arrest, she brought additional notoriety to her famous brother-in-law. It was written up in both the local and the national press. When questioned about his sister-in-law, Tom would simply shrug his shoulders and say that although he did not agree with what Alice was doing, he believed that she had every right to follow her conscience. He then would add that she must face the consequences of her actions of course.

When questioned by the press about Tom’s record on the abortion issue, Alice responded, Every decade of the Rosary I pray, every abuse I receive from a passerby, every discomfort I feel from praying in front of abortuaries, I offer up for my brother-in-law, as well as for all of those so-called legislators who vote pro-choice. I pray for their conversion—I pray for their souls. After all, I am only following one of the spiritual works of mercy, which says that in charity one must admonish the sinner—and abortion is a sinful act.

Although Tom’s wife, Margaret, did not say much about the news regarding Alice’s notoriety, Tom felt that his wife agreed with her. Though Tom was not as brilliant as his sister, he was an assiduous student who managed to maintain a B+ average all through high school. Because of his size, he did not excel in any sport, although he did receive varsity letters in football, track, and wrestling.

Because of the tuition costs at the more prestigious schools in his state and lacking the scholastic and physical abilities to help defray the costs by way of a scholarship, Tom attended a moderately liberal state-run college. Even with his parents’ financial support, Tom found it necessary to work to pay for his schooling and all that which it entails. Tom did enjoy a good social life. With his handsome demeanor and dynamic personality, he had no difficulty in dating. He joined the college fraternity and, by his senior year, became its president. By all accounts, Tom had the talent or gift to make friends very easily. It could be said that Tom was the epitome of a charming Leprechaun.

While in college, Tom majored in history and political science. His original intent was to go into teaching, but he soon gave up that goal when he realized that he could never become wealthy in that profession. As a result of his charm, appearance, and ability to articulate well, Tom was persuaded to join the debating club. It was there that he learned how to do research and how to sharpen his mind. During his senior year, he fell deeply in love with Margaret Conklin, a lawyer’s daughter. They met on a blind date. She was totally captivated by him. Because Margaret’s parents were better off financially than were Tom’s parents, she was able to attend a prestigious Catholic university near Tom’s college.

All through college, Tom managed to remain a virgin. Although his parents were not strictly religious, Tom was greatly influenced by his maternal grandmother, Anne, who said three Rosaries a day, often with Tom, and attended mass daily. Her ardent religious beliefs were not shared by her husband or her children. Although they never referred to her as a religious fanatic, they simply scoffed at her devoutness silently. Since she lived next door, Tom was always in her house. With both of his parents working, Tom was practically raised by Grandma Anne, as he called her. Like most of the Irish of her day, and to a lesser extent today, Grandma Anne was a staunch Democrat. She told Tom quite firmly when he was only a child that should he ever vote Republican, she would disown him. Because of her tone, Tom believed her.

It was she who persuaded Tom’s parents to send him to Catholic schools. In elementary school, he was taught by the Dominican Sisters of the Mother of God Congregation, who, to this day, still wear their habits. In high school, he was taught by the Sisters of the Holy Veil, who shortly after Vatican II doffed their habits and eventually went into the Enneagram business.

Tom’s high school, St. Aloysius, was caught up in the wake of Vatican II. Following the so-called Spirit of the Second Vatican Council, it totally revamped its entire traditional curriculum, making it more social than religious. St. Aloysius was also one of the first parochial schools to offer courses in sex education. Tom recalled one of the sisters saying that although the Church teaches that one should not engage in sex before marriage, should circumstances arise, it might be prudent to use a condom to protect one from certain risk factors.

Fortunately, Tom’s confessor, Father Dominic Soriano, a member of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest, originally established in Spain and whose apostolate was to teach Catholic orthodoxy to young people, was able to steer him away from the false teachings of this sister and some of the other faculty members. He told Tom that it appeared from what he said that sister was engaging in situation ethics. Fr. Soriano not only was Tom’s confessor but also acted as his spiritual advisor.

Margaret was also a product of a Catholic school education but of a much more traditional stripe. Her parents accepted the changes brought about by Vatican II but reluctantly. When the Holy Father allowed the bishops to issue an indult allowing for the Tridentine Mass to be said in their dioceses, Margaret’s parents headed up a petition in their diocese for such a mass. Although their bishop, the Most Reverend Anthony Lugano, was considered a liberal, he allowed a semimonthly Tridentine Mass in a parish in one of the most run-down parts of the city. It was widely rumored that His Excellency did so to placate the traditionalists for fear that many of them might go over to the schismatic wings of that group. Even though the attendance at mass was sparse, Margaret and her parents attended every Tridentine Mass.

While Tom attended a liberal parochial secondary school, Margaret attended an Orthodox Catholic academy. She was taught by priests of the same order as Tom’s confessor. All of her classmates were of the same gender since coeducation is not allowed to this day by the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest. Consequently, Margaret’s high ideals and moral worth made her ever so endearing to Tom. Likewise, Tom’s virtuous demeanor made him extremely attractive to Margaret. It was both Tom’s and Margaret’s resolve not to have sex before marriage. After all, he could not let his grandmother and Fr. Soriano down. Likewise, both of their parents prevailed upon their children to wait until Tom got himself established before marrying.

Upon graduating from college, Tom was drafted. The war in Vietnam was raging at the time. While in college, Tom had reservations about his nation’s involvement in Vietnam; but he never took part in demonstrations and, quite frankly, resented them, especially the few that took place on his college campus. Two of Tom’s uncles had served in World War II, and one uncle served in Korea. All three of his uncles were marines. He often remembered how enthralled he would get as they related to him their wartime experiences. Under the circumstances, Tom felt that he could not betray the sacrifices that his uncles made on behalf of their country by taking part in these demonstrations.

During the war, Tom was assigned to the infantry division. He was sent into battle three times. On his third encounter, although gravely wounded in the arm, he managed to rescue two of his buddies who had been pinned down. He did so by throwing grenades into the enemy’s position and dragging his comrades to safety. Soon after, Tom fell unconscious. He was taken to a military hospital where his wounds rapidly healed. Fortunately, he was not maimed.

Upon his recovery, Tom had been mentioned for and ultimately received the Purple Heart and Silver Star. These honors along with his uncanny luck, or so it seemed, enabled him to rise rapidly. One of the men whom Tom saved was to be elected to the House of Representatives. No sooner was he discharged from the Army when his friend asked him to be his legislative aide. Tom realized that it was not only because of kindness that he was given this offer but mostly for his God-given gifts and assets. Tom gladly jumped at the opportunity.

Shortly after getting the position, Tom and Margaret were married and eventually had a child—a girl—whom they named Anne after his grandmother. Although Margaret wanted to have more children, Tom persuaded her to wait until he was better situated financially. Tom, unfortunately, was not too pleased with his daughter, for Anne was not a pretty child. In fact, going by outward appearance, she might be considered by some to be quite plain. Tom could not quite understand why God had allowed this to happen to him. If anything, considering his and Margaret’s appearances, his daughter should be stunning or so he thought.

Because of his extensive travels back and forth to Washington, Tom and Margaret were often separated. He simply could not afford to take Margaret with him. His friend, Robert Carlisle, was the son of a wealthy congressman, who, when he retired, left the seat practically vacant for his son. Bob and his father were both Democrats which enabled the elder Carlisle to maintain a safe seat in a district where registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by more than two to one. Being very personable like his father, Bob also had a safe seat.

Because of his position, Tom encountered the high and mighty. He dined at President Carter’s table on a few occasions. Even when his party was out of power at the Oval Office, Tom had been invited to the White House by President Reagan on three separate occasions. As a result of Tom’s personal appearance, youth, charm, and influence, he was seduced by several pretty ladies—not all of whom were unmarried. He came to the realization that all his gifts gave him power. It was only a matter of time before Tom had become intoxicated with this power. His wife and daughter consequently grew more distant. Tom tried to console his guilt feelings about his actions by rationalizing that after all, whatever he was doing and however he was doing it was all for them.

When Anne was ready for school, Tom enrolled her at St. Mary’s where the Sisters of the Holy Grail were in charge. Because of the scarcity of vocations among many of the religious orders, most of the personnel at Anne’s school were lay teachers. In some of the grades, the religion courses were taught by laypeople whose training was often not in accord with that of the magisterium.

After he married, at first, Tom felt responsible for going to mass on Sundays either with his family or alone. But as time passed, because of business appointments or luncheon meetings, he would miss mass more and more. The monthly confessions dwindled down to one or two a year. After having gone to confession, Tom would resolve to go to mass weekly and confession more often than he had. At first, he was able to keep his resolution; but in time, he reverted to his old habits. It was now over two years since he had been to confession.

On September 3, 1986, while campaigning, Congressman Carlisle was killed in an automobile accident. Almost immediately, the Democratic Party in his state turned to Tom and asked him to be Carlisle’s successor. Tom jumped at the opportunity. With the Democratic advantage in his district along with the sympathy vote, Tom received 65 percent of the votes cast. The congressman now moved his family to Washington. In a short time, with his contacts and improved business acumen, Tom began to make a great deal of money in the stock market. (It had been rumored that not all of his business transactions had been ethical.)

While serving in Congress, Tom came into close contact with Congressman Larry Wellman, who was also a Jesuit priest. (This was before John Paul II forbade priests from holding political office. To his credit, Fr. Wellman complied with the Pope’s command and resigned his seat.) A solid Liberal Democrat, Fr. Wellman convinced Tom that although he was a Catholic, he could take a pro-choice position. The rationale was that although he was personally opposed to abortion, he had constituents who were not Catholic and therefore did not accept his Church’s position on the issue. Besides, even those Catholics, according to Congressman Wellman, who took part in abortion or adultery would not necessarily commit a mortal sin with the loss of sanctifying grace unless the individual subjectively rejected God. The overarching reach that the pro-choice Catholic legislators used to salve their consciences in supporting abortion was that they were acting for the common good. At the time, then Governor Mario Cuomo of New York gave a speech at Notre Dame in this regard. (In 1975, the Holy See issued a formal declaration, Persona Humana, in which certain theories including that of the fundamental option, which was the position taken by Fr. Wellman, were condemned. More recently, John Paul II’s encyclical,