Synopsis:
When twenty-eight-year-old Maria Giura fell in love with Catholic priest Father James Infanzi, she had no idea how needy they both were nor how complicated their relationship would become. His attention seemed to fill the void left by her fractured family, but he also seemed to be a sign for her to finally face the vocation she’d been running from for years. Celibate focuses on her ten-year struggle to let go of this priest, to heal from her childhood, and to embrace her true calling. Fiercely honest and tender, this memoir is ultimately a story about surrender, forgiveness, and facing one’s deepest needs.
Author Bio:
Maria Giura, PhD,
is the author of Celibate: A Memoir (Apprentice House) and What My Father Taught Me (Bordighera Press), which was a finalist for the Paterson Poetry Book Prize. Her writing has appeared in several journals including Prime Number, Presence, Italian Americana, Lips, VIA, Ovunque Siamo, Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival and Tiferet. She has won awards from the Academy of American Poets and the Center for Women Writers and was selected to judge the Lauria/ Frasca Poetry Award. She has taught Literature and Writing at St. John’s University, Montclair State University, and Binghamton University where she earned her doctorate in English. She lives in NYC.
Celibate By Maria Giura
Review by Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews
First, I want to thank Maria Giura for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Maria Giura is extremely courageous and strong to share her personal story with her readers in Celibate. This is a must read book that is eye opening on many different levels.
Celibate is a very fascinating book and unlike any memoir I have ever read before. It deals with issues that are forefront in the news today in that Priests go outside their vows. This was an incredibly powerful read and takes you behind the scenes of why individuals actually go into the priesthood.
This book focuses a lot on faith, beliefs, a taboo relationship, callings to be a nun at an early age, questioning if the priesthood is the correct calling, etc. It also had some uncomfortable moments in the book.
I related to Maria as I was in a relationship like hers at one point. It was not with an authority figure like that. However, the mental and emotional abuse he put on her I can relate to as well as not staying faithful. He is one of the reasons I am still single. While reading this book there were multiple times I wanted to reach out to her and give her a hug.
0 comments:
Post a Comment