![]() It seems to me, Fermoyle's life and experiences are based in part on that of Francis Spellman, a Boston priest who eventually became the Archbishop of New York, a formidable cleric during the mid-twnetieth century. Each part is intense and satisfying in a way I wasn't prepared for. As for the six parts, each focuses on a time in Stephen Fermoyle's life: as young Rome-educated, American priest - Boston/Medford, to be precise - then as a curate, a bureaucrat, a monsignor, bishop/archbishop, and, finally, as a cardinal, a member of the Sacred College, and advisor to the pope. I was able to put Robinson and Fermoyle aside and return later, picking up effortlessly where I left off. ![]() This made for convenience, as I've been busy reading several things simultaneously. THE CARDINAL, while one novel, has six parts to it, plus a Prologue and an Epilogue. I could not have been more right - or more satisfied with the read. But here was the book, and I knew, as ultimately turns out to be the case, there had to be more to the story than Hollywood's version. Sure, I've seen the film more than a few times, with Tom Tryon in the lead role as Stephen Fermoyle, and it's always struck me as powerful. So when I recently found, tucked in the corner of an upstairs bookcase, a paperback copy - 75 cents, it had cost, when it was purchased in 1963, mind you! - of Henry Morton Robinson's THE CARDINAL, I had to read it. I spent as much time in Catholic middle school assisting at Mass as I did helping with chores at home, and it was at least an annual event to help out at the rectory or the convent with fall or spring cleaning. These films about Faith left no room for doubt: Our faith was core of who we were/are, the very extension of ourselves. Mary's reinforced, in a Legion-of-Decency-kind-of-way, the notion of strength that is rooted in Faith and Patriotism. Great books and films, over the years, reinforced my early memories: The Ten Commandments Ben-Hur Quo Vadis The Shoes of the Fisherman The Nun's Story even such light-hearted fare as Going My Way and The Bells of St. Male birds feed their monogamous partners as they incubate clutches of eggs-typically three per season.I'm one of those "old-school" Catholics: a young teenager when Vatican II brought the Church into the 20th century, yet having had enough of the Tridentine experience during my formative years to leave a lasting impression of Church as an integral part of Self. During mating season, however, groups dissolve into pairs. This tendency sometimes leads cardinals to fly into glass windows, when they charge an “intruding bird” that is really their own reflection.Ĭardinals are fairly social and join in flocks that may even include birds of other species. Males can be aggressive when defending their territory, and they frequently attack other males who intrude. BehaviorĬardinals are active songbirds and sing a variety of different melodies. The color is a key to mating success-the brighter the better. ![]() Only males sport the brilliant red plumage for which their species is known. This population growth may be due to an increase in winter birdfeeders and to the bird's ability to adapt to parks and suburban human habitats. However, in recent decades they have expanded their common range north through the United States and even into Canada. Population RangeĬardinals, also called “redbirds,” do not migrate and have traditionally been more common in warmer climes such as the U.S. When foraging elsewhere the birds eat insects, seeds, grain, fruit, and sap. Bright red cardinals are easily identified by even casual bird watchers, and are often seen frequenting backyards and bird feeders. The northern cardinal is so well loved that it has been named the official bird of no fewer than seven U.S.
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