"He is a biblical scholar, yes?"

                Catholicus hesitated.               

                "No, writer; he is a writer, a canonical writer".

                "What is here to write about?"

                Dominic coughed up gutturally.

                "He's a chiesa writer, - he writes just for the Church, just for the Logos, Jesus.

                What can I say, in Italia? He's the new sommo poeta, better than Dante, the Popes' beloved Dante, but he's English, and he writes in English, like the puritan poet, Milton. That Irish novelist Joyce, is finished too. I've seen such homilies, such sermons, such homilies, such sermons, based on Leo the Great and Cardinal Newman...sweet rhetoric, rhetoric, rhetoric, New Tracts for our Times, chick-pea and De Oratore. He writes wonders, for the Church, just for God, he writes wonders, just for God". His voice trailed off.

                 And, Fr. Dominic Catholicus OP, sent reams of circulating hands upwards, gesturing, into the recesses of the Vatican Library.

​

                                                                        'Crucifix', The Seven Days of Holy Week, Rome, 2018, Grattan.

Fr. Dominic Catholicus OP and Dr. Andreas Christianus, receiving a private tour of the Vatican Library, mid-morning, Maundy Thursday, Rome, 2018.