The Girls of Saint Monica's

In the late summer of 1966, newly ordained priest Michael Donnelly is sent to his first parish assignment in a small town near the western border of Minnesota. In addition to his role as pastor, Michael is assigned to serve as spiritual advisor at a neighboring boarding school for girls, administered and taught by the Sisters of the Convent of Saint Monica. Michael's developing friendship with one of the students, eighteen-year-old Joy Berrigan, causes him to question not only his identity, but his vocation.In his first novel since Subculture, author Charles Anthony Vilina transports the reader back to a simpler, gentler time and place, isolated from a rapidly changing world threatened by conflict and unrest. His portrayal of a rural enclave of twelve students and nine nuns is both humorous and heartwarming. At its essence, The Girls of Saint Monica's is an ageless story of redeeming love, challenging our perceptions while embracing our humanity. Read more