The Pastor's Inferno

This page describes the book, offers three reviews and the first chapter of The Pastor's Inferno.

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Review of The Pastor's Infeno by Beth Cahaney

Joe Knows….

The author of The Pastor’s Inferno knows of what he writes. As a seminarian and later in his psychology practice, Joseph Langen incorporates years of personal and professional experience into his examination of Father John Spador, an abusive priest.

We first meet John Spador as he settles into an easy chair, musing about his aging body and reflecting on the duties he had completed that day, from Mass at 6 A.M. to a dinner with fellow priests. There are hints of his darker side when his thoughts are interrupted by a deputy sheriff and a social worker at his door.

What follows is Spador’s fall from grace over his recent abuse of a young parishioner. While he and the young man are spared the public humiliation of a trial, the circumstances cause Spador to lose his parish and his status, forcing him to admit his failings to his sister and her family on whom he now depends for the basic necessities of life. He must also face his accuser and the young man’s parents.

The fall from grace is an all too common story in the aftermath of the many abuse cases within the Catholic Church. The sordid headlines both fascinate and repulse us. However, once the perpetrator is convicted or perhaps given alternative punishment, the headlines go away. Langen’s story goes further. How does Spador learn to confront his demons? How does he put his life back together? How does he reconcile God’s justice with God’s love?

Spador is not necessarily a sympathetic character. He has become accustomed to the privilege that goes with his position. We have little indication that he was held in overly high regard by his parishioners. We learn that he is estranged from his brother and that his relations with his fellow priests lack any real depth, except possibly with the priest who becomes his spiritual advisor, Father Samuels.

Spador also lacks introspection, perhaps because it would force him to examine his sexuality. His counselor, Dr. Barbara Phelan, guides him through this self discovery. At times he seems to flounder in his attempts, but Phelan’s skills keep him on track. Solitary walks along the canal help Spador focus and give him a certain solace.

At the book’s conclusion, John is ready for his community service, helping ex-prisoners reintegrate into society. It is also John’s reintegration from his hellish experience to the light of a new dawn with the insight to make the best of the remaining days allotted him by God.

Beth Cahaney, Professor
Humanities Division
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
Elizabethtown, KY 42701

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Review of the Pastor's Inferno- The Daily News- Batavia, NY 6-2-08

Batavia author releases “Inferno”

By Kristen Katz

 When Joseph Langen wrote The Pastor’s Inferno, he wanted to take a different look at the sexual abuse scandal that took place in the Catholic Church during the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Rather than attacking the accused priests, Langen’s novel offers an understanding and hope for the redemption of these men.

The Pastor’s Inferno is a fictional account of a priest, Father John Spador, who seeks redemption after abusing a young male parishioner at his parish. The novel follows Spador as he faces the victim, his own relatives, God, the court and ultimately himself.

Langen, a 65 year old Batavia resident, was in the seminary for nine years and was at several different monasteries before he left in 1965 to pursue a college education. He graduated in 1971 from the University of Illinois with a doctorate in psychology. He retired from the field in 2005 and now works full time as a writer. The Pastor’s Inferno is Langen’s third book and took him about nine months to write. He also writes a biweekly column for The Daily News.

Langen wrote this novel because he had always wondered about what caused the priests to break their vows.

“These were people committed to celibacy, but that didn’t stop them from abusing people.” he said. “It was something that made me wonder for a long time.”

Originally Langen wanted to write a non-fiction book that included interviews with priests who had been convicted of sexual abuse. This task proved to be too difficult, so he decided to write The Pastor’s Inferno. Langen based the novel on what he knew about the process of being ordained from his nine years in the seminary. He was in the seminary about the time many of the priests who were later accused of sexual abuse during the scandal.

Langen said one possible reason for the sexual abuse scandal is that the men in the seminary are isolated from others in the community, so they do not have a typical social life. He also added that priests often have a feeling of superiority because of the elevated position they have in the community.

“They were pretty elevated.” he said. “People had this sense they could do no wrong.”

As a psychologist, Langen said he believes you have to understand the person before you can help them change. This is a major theme in The Pastor’s Inferno. Langen said he hopes the novel will give people a better understanding of what might have led these men to commit sexual abuse.

“It’s trying to understand someone.” he said. “It’s not an attack.”

Langen said people who do not think these men can be helped with counseling or do not want to try and understand them should not read his novel. Those interested in purchasing a copy of The Pastor’s Inferno can do so at Booklocker.com.

 Reprinted by permission of The Daily News, Batavia, NY

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Review of The Pastor's Inferno- by Harvey Stoler (Amazon.com)

Honesty

Not knowing what the detailed subject matter of the book was, I decided to be open minded about the subject matter. Even though the book was fictional, it seemed it was telling a true story. Not being Catholic, I have been very interested in the news regarding child abuse among priests and altar boys and girls. Recently the Pope was here and he even acknowledged the abuse that has been going on. In the book, the priest, John, seemed to be a very likeable and good priest, however he did have illicit thoughts about young boys. After he was caught, and pleaded guilty, the remainder of the book had to do with his finding himself and why he acted the way he did. John realized he had a problem that he had to deal with, if he was going to find peace with himself and God. What I found interesting and satisfying in my mind, is that all of us have done things wrong in our lives. Some wrongs have been greater than others. Some wrongs have been legal, other have been spiritual, but we have all had to deal with them. What this book does, is shows each of us how John dealt with his wrong doings and how he found redemption in his life. If you are looking for a book that makes you think especially how you need to deal with wrong doings, this is a good book to read.

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The Pastor’s Inferno

Chapter 1

 But the Lord sits enthroned forever.
He has set up his throne for judgment;
He will judge the world with justice,
He will judge the peoples with his truth.
                                                 Psalm 9

The Arrest

     The tinder sparked to life, ignited one of the logs bringing the fire to a crackle. The rectory’s front light would stand vigil until 9:00 PM while the foyer light remained dark in hopes that there would be no visitors tonight. Father John Spador sat back in his favorite chair and raised the footrest. He wondered if he should have brewed a cup of tea before sitting down. It seemed lately that he often thought of something he should have done a little after he should have done it. Well maybe he would just sit for a while in the peace.
      As the fire grew brighter, its reflection danced on the floor, walls and ceiling, chasing away the ghostly bands of light and shadow flashing by with each passing car. John felt most at ease in those times when the fire provided all his light and soothed him with as its warmth. The day began to fade from his awareness and that was just as well.
     There was six AM Mass, a visit to the hospital, a funeral, stopping by the reception afterwards to comfort the family, reading the Divine Office and jotting down some thoughts for Sunday’s sermon. He had just returned from dinner with three other priests. His darker thoughts had no time during the day to creep into his awareness. He hoped that this evening no parishioners would feel the need to prevail on him. Maybe he would have time to just sit there and enjoy the fire as he was wont to do.
      John enjoyed the crackling rhythms, dancing flames and warmth, his body beginning to relax as he let go of the day. As usual, he had eaten a little too much for dinner. The filet mignon sat like a rock in his stomach. He really should find something lighter to eat when he went out for a late dinner. But it was his favorite. Maybe next time he would try something different. Father Mike had commented on the delicious salmon.
      While his body was relaxing, his mind and spirit were another matter. He tried to stay focused during the day on the needs of his parishioners and his parish. He avoided thoughts about himself when he could. Most of the time he was successful. But once he reached this part of the day when no one else had any demands on his time, his thoughts wandered back to his life, his decisions and actions. He struggled to quell the discomfort which welled up within him.
     He had tried many ways to keep his feelings at bay. Meditation on religious mysteries only increased his discomfort. Relaxation exercises, yoga, long walks and racquetball all helped, at least for a while. In the end, everything he tried fell short. His thoughts wandered back to his life and what he could do about it, or should have done about it before it got to this point.
     He was wrestling with these issues once again when the chimes announced someone at the front door. Turning on the parlor light brought to life the soft red-brown reflection of the mahogany paneling replacing the fire’s dancing shadows. In some ways the interruption was a relief. He did not like the direction his thoughts were taking him. 
     He turned on the vestibule light and opened the door to a stocky, uniformed policeman and an equally stocky middle aged woman carrying a black zippered portfolio. He tried to read their expressions. Both were stone faced and giving nothing away. He saw neither the smiles nor deferential bows which usually greeted him. Theirs was obviously not a social call and they seemed an odd combination of people to appear at his door at eight thirty PM. A twinge of discomfort arose but he convinced himself not to panic.
     The policeman remained stony. The woman looked down at her portfolio rather than meeting his gaze. He still could not read them but had an uneasy feeling about their arrival. The officer finally spoke, “I’m Deputy Jeremy from the sheriff’s office and this is Mrs. Lempel from Social Services. Are you Father John Spador?”
     There was no point being evasive. Maybe they were just here about one of his parishioners. Still wondering about this duo, he answered, “Yes. I am. How can I help you?”
     The officer continued, the woman looking back and forth between the two men. “A case has come to our attention and we think you might be able to be of help.”
     John felt himself a little on guard, but was still not sure he had anything to worry about. “What kind of case if I may ask?”
     “It’s about a recently reported sexual abuse case. May we come in to discuss it with you?”
     John’s bile started to rise but he could not think of any way to refuse them admission to the rectory without arousing their suspicion. “Of course, if you think I can be of help. I just started a fire in the parlor. Come in and sit down.”
     They both followed him to the parlor without any of the comments most people made on the Victorian décor or the roaring fire. They removed their coats, folded them over their arms in unison and waited until everyone was seated. They looked in all directions, seeming to be taking in his environment. John thought the officer and woman were taking time to catch their breaths and their thoughts. The silence was becoming uncomfortable for John. He asked if he could get either of them coffee or tea.
     “No thanks.” The deputy replied for both of them. “I know it is a little late in the evening and I would like to come right to the point.” Deputy Jeremy cleared his throat and seemed to be deciding what to say next. Mrs. Lempel unzipped her portfolio, folded it back, and took out her pen. He talked. She wrote.
     John was wondering what to expect. He had no idea what this was all about. Well, maybe he didn’t want to know, although he had a suspicion. The tension in his muscles, dissipated by the firelight a few minutes ago, returned now accompanied by a gnawing feeling in his stomach. He waited for the deputy to make the first move.
     Deputy Jeremy cleared his throat again and finally got to the heart of the matter. “This afternoon I had a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Anton who brought their fourteen year old son Seth to see me. Is it true he serves as an altar boy in your church?”
     The gnawing gave way to bile working its way up to John’s throat. It was all he could do to keep his dinner from reappearing. He could only manage a thin-voiced reply, realizing his throat and lungs were tightening, “Yes. It’s true. He is one of many boys who help out with services.”
     “I will get right to it. Mr. and Mrs. Anton told me about some disturbing events which have happened involving Seth when he was alone with you. Seth confirmed them. We wanted to hear what you have to say about his allegations.”
     John was not used to being confronted in this manner. He was unprepared for it and had no easy comeback. “What do you mean ‘we’? Why is Mrs. Lempel with you?”
     The deputy was not fazed by this reply and continued unemotionally. “It is the practice in our county that potential sexual abuse cases are investigated by a team made up of representatives from the Sheriff’s department and Social Services.”    
     “Are you accusing me of sexual abuse?” John could feel his muscles tighten further and his face flush even though he was struggling to stay calm. He could not keep his voice from sounding strained.
     “So far we are not accusing you of anything. We are just here to discuss the allegations with you to help us decide how to proceed. What can you tell us about this matter?”
     “There must be some mistake. I am not sure what the fuss is about or what he might have told you. Seth has been an alter boy in my parish for about three years. He is one of my most reliable boys. I can count on him to be here whenever I need him, even for funerals which are obviously hard to predict. What did the boy tell you happened? What am I supposed to have done?”
     "Father, what is the nature of your relationship with Seth?”
      “Well, like I said, he is quite reliable and dependable. I have become quite fond of him over the past few years. He has taken to spending some of his free time around the rectory and has developed an interest in the priesthood. I have been thinking he might well have a vocation. I have been spending some extra time with him to explore this possibility.”
     The deputy took these comments in stride as Mrs. Lempel made notations and continued in the same even tone. “Thank you, Father. Can you think of any reason why the boy would have asked his parents to bring him to see me about his relationship with you?”
     “I don’t know what you mean. Seth has never expressed any discomfort about being around the rectory. I have spent more time with him than with the other boys, but as I have said this was to give him a chance to explore his vocation. We have engaged in some recreational activities together like swimming and camping at my cabin in the mountains. Do you think he might have misinterpreted my interest in him as related to something besides his possible vocation?”
     “What do you think, Father? Is there something you might have done which he might have taken as being of a sexual nature?”
     John’s mind raced, trying to think how to phrase their relationship in a way which sounded normal. “I have no idea what it could be. Let me think. Well, there were a few times at the cabin when it was particularly hot and we went skinny dipping after dark in the pond by my cabin.”
     “Were there other boys with you and Seth at the cabin?”
     “Sometimes there were. A few times the other boys were busy doing other things and Seth went with me alone.”
     “Were other boys with you on the occasions when you went skinny dipping?”
     “Well, no. I believe those were occasions when the other boys were busy.”
     “I see. When you went skinny dipping, did you take your clothes off before going from the cabin to the pond?"
     “Yes. I believe so.”
     “And when you were finished swimming, did you return to the cabin naked.”
     “Yes, we came back in to towel off before going to bed.”
     “On the nights you and Seth went skinny dipping, where did you both sleep?”
     “Usually in separate beds.”
     “Always?”
     “Well, no. A few times we slept in the same bed on a particularly cold night to keep each other warm.”
     “You said a few minutes ago that you went skinny dipping only on particularly hot days. If it was cold, why did you walk back to the cabin naked?”
     “I don’t like the tenor of this conversation. I would like to review this with my lawyer before we proceed any further.”
     “Fine, Father. We will stop here. Based on what was reported and what you have volunteered, you are under arrest for suspicion of sexual abuse. Anything you say can and will be held as evidence against you. You have the right to a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as I have related them to you?”
     “Yes, I do.”
     “Okay, Father, get your coat. We are going to the police station. You can call your lawyer from there. In deference to your position in the community, I will not handcuff you as long as you cooperate.”

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