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I recently attended a book club group in Decatur, as a guest, and discussed the book “Claddagh Pool.” The topic of shape-shifting and mysticism was discussed by a number of members. They really liked the crows and their appearance throughout the story. Also the idea of being able to shift from one level of being into another.

Before I completed “Claddagh Pool,” I decided to add this whole dimension to the story and the feedback has proved to me that my decision was the right one. The agents didn’t like it, but they are not reading it. My readers like it and that’s what matters.

When I complete this trilogy with “Retribution,” I am going to return to my Irish roots and write a mystical story with characters who have Celtic and Druid powers, and know how to use them.

The issue of child abuse by the clergy is brought to the forefront in this new movie.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/spotlight-movie

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, and a deputy bishop resigned Monday after prosecutors there charged the archdiocese with having failed to protect children from unspeakable harm from a pedophile priest.

The Vatican said Pope Francis accepted the resignations of Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche. They resigned under the code of canon law that allows bishops to resign before they retire because of illness or some other “grave” reason that makes them unfit for office.

Earlier this month, prosecutors charged the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as a corporation of having “turned a blind eye” to repeated reports of inappropriate behavior by a priest who was later convicted of molesting two boys. No individual was named in the indictment.

The resignations came just days after Pope Francis approved the creation of a new tribunal inside the Vatican to hear cases of bishops who failed to protect children from sexually abusive priests. Francis’ decision followed years of criticism that the Vatican had never held bishops accountable for having ignored warnings about abusive priests and simply moved them from parish to parish rather than report them to police or remove them from ministry.

In April, Francis accepted the resignation of U.S. bishop Robert Finn, who had been convicted in a U.S. court of failing to report a suspected child abuser.

The criminal charges against the archdiocese stem from its handling of Curtis Wehmeyer, a former priest at Church of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, who is serving a five-year prison sentence for molesting two boys and faces prosecution involving a third boy in Wisconsin.

Prosecutors say church leaders failed to respond to “numerous and repeated reports of troubling conduct” by Wehmeyer from the time he entered seminary until he was removed from the priesthood in 2015. The criminal complaint says many people — including parishioners, fellow priests and parish staff — reported issues with Wehmeyer, and many of those claims were discounted.

Claddagh Pool is available at Barnes & Noble.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claddagh-pool-denis-hearn/1112331233?ean=9780615631301

My next edit for “Claddagh Pool” will be a screenplay. The movie rights will be available.

Main characters:

Anne: Claire Danes.

Conor: Colin Farrell.

What do you think?

Denis.

In my book, Claddagh Pool, Finbar has to make a choice and because he sees no alternative, his decision is final.

If he was still alive, how do you think he would react to this statement from Pope Francis?

Link: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pope-francis-meets-abuse-victims-begs-forgiveness-church-n149491

Denis

The Catholic Church makes this man a saint? He ignored years of child abuse in the church. He condoned the behavior of his bishops as the pedophiles walked away leaving the abused no justice or compensation.

The system is corrupt. Let’s hope Pope Francis, who seems like he is interested in some form of social justice will make a difference.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/new-saints/pope-francis-declares-john-paul-ii-john-xxiii-saints-n90651

Finally there is a new Pope who seems to want to take responsibility for the clerical abuses over the last few years. This is a huge step toward healing the horrific wounds inflicted by some members of the clergy on the innocents . He totally gets my vote.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/europe/pope-francis-begs-forgiveness-evil-sex-abuse-priests-n77861

Review is on Page 21.

Link to On line magazine. http://digital.turn-page.com/i/187959

What a great 2 days. Lots of readers. Good sales and great organization.

Thanks for your purchases.

Denis