**”This is a conversion story on the level of Augustine. Anne Rice was a daughter of darkness.” And the National Catholic Register (which I write for on a regular basis) named her as “Literary Convert of the Year” in its January 1-7, 2006 edition. The Register notes that Rice’s conversion is still ongoing,**
So who is praying for her like St. Monica prayed for her son, Augustine?
I do like her two books about Christ. She is a good story teller. I am also obsessing about J.R. Rowling. She, unlike Rice, was/is much more subtle about her faith. It shows through but doesn’t dominate her work or who she is.
[In 2006] Her views will not please all of the devout. Rice favors gay marriage. She believes the church position regarding birth control is a grievous error that is not supported by Scripture. She repudiates what she sees as intolerant, "sex-obsessed" church leaders and says she does not find support in the message of Jesus for their focus on sexual orientation or abortion. She argues for a more inclusive church. "Think of how the church bells would ring and the pews would fill if women could become priests and priests could marry. It would be the great resurgence of the Catholic Church in this country," Rice said recently, seated in front of a roaring fire, in the La Jolla, Calif., mansion she moved to after she left New Orleans.She seems very messed up via her Facebook entries; it could be demons. Only a priest can evaluate her in that regard.
Sounds more like Anne Lamott than Augustine to me!
Becoming a Christian involves submitting to God’s Word, not just saying “I’m a Christian.”
She's getting on in years, has swung back to valuing political correctness over grace or faith, she has diabetes, and her son, probably talented, is all she's got.
I wonder if he and his friends have harangued his mom over her allegiance to an "intolerant" church.
If so, there's still the chance she may swing back.
And her books about the life of Jesus have been an honest contribution.
OK, I’m not that interested in Ann Rice to read all the details, but I do have 2 comments. My friend is a BIG fan of hers, so I have some knowledge of her, but I never read any of her books.
Was not Ann Rice born a Catholic? (My understanding was she lost her faith when her daughter died) If so how could she be a convert?
Also, why is she renouncing “Christianity”. It seems to me she’d make a fine Episcopalian. I mean, they have openly gay Bishops and everything. There are probably other denominations who share her views, but the Episcopalians have all the lovely ceremony, etc. that I’m sure would appeal to Ms. Rice.
If she still considers herself to have been saved by Christ she is a Christian. If she doesn’t want to be a Catholic anymore, again, whatever, that’s fine too.
Well, it’s fine with me, anyway.
"Think of how the church bells would ring and the pews would fill if women could become priests and priests could marry. It would be the great resurgence of the Catholic Church in this country," Rice said recently, seated in front of a roaring fire, in the La Jolla, Calif., mansion she moved to after she left New Orleans."
If the Church did this in the first millennium! There never would of been a second millennium of the Church! It's Discipline of moral character sustains it in Christ.
Good stuff but then you had to go and say this:
“Say a prayer to Sts. Augustine and Aquinas for Anne Rice, that she might be restored to faith and communion.”
Excellent essay. I had prayed that Anne Rice being exposed to Truth would release her stubborn attachment to sin and fully embrace Church teaching. I thought that at least getting to hear the Truth it would make inroads into her errors. But I think too many people in the Church were concerned with the “catch” of Anne Rice and ended up massaging her ego and reassuring her that her stance was not of great consequence.
It is sad that she shut her mind to the Grace which would have illuminated her heart.