MY SON, THE PRIEST

Gilger’s memoir follows a mother’s struggle to reconcile her feelings about Catholicism with her son becoming a Jesuit priest.

The author traces her son Patrick’s path from an Omaha Catholic university student with a growing interest in theology to a man who embraced vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, eventually entering the Jesuit order in 2002. His calling was not easy for her to understand; “What college kid in his right mind would sign up for that?” she wonders. Drawing on vivid memories of Patrick’s studies, his work founding The Jesuit Post website, and his ministry in places ranging from Indian villages to American prisons, Gilger recounts how his vocation tested both his endurance and her own understanding. Alongside Patrick’s story, Gilger delves into her own history, describing a childhood in a large Irish Catholic family, her eventual disillusionment with the Church, and her eventual careers in journalism and academia. The narrative balances family anecdotes—like Patrick’s refusal to press charges after being mugged, or his moving funeral mass for Gigler’s father—with philosophical reflections on faith, doubt, and the pull of maternal love, always circling back to the author’s unease with the permanence of her son’s choices and her own doubts: “What if my son is right? And what if he is not?” Gilger’s prose is consistently engaging—it’s succinct, humorous, and laced with self-awareness. She easily distills complicated theological practices and historical contexts into plain language filled with wry one-liners. (When discussing her attempts to commune with God, she jokes, “Being out of practice, it was a short conversation.”) Her skill as a journalist shines through in her deft scene-setting and dialogue; the author recreates difficult conversations with her son without ever losing her sharp, objective perspective. At times, the narrative can shift into more detached reportage when recounting Patrick’s experiences, diluting the immediacy of the writing; however, Gilger’s ease in relating her most vulnerable moments will quickly draw readers back in. In her hands, even the heaviest of spiritual inquiry never feels excessively solemn.

An exploration of faith, doubt, and family that expertly balances tender recollection with sharp insight.