John T. Butler, S.J., Haub Vice President for the Division of Mission and Ministry
Saints Among Us
Haub Vice President for the Division of Mission and Ministry John T. Butler, S.J., better known at BC as “Father Jack,” shares Upon This Rock, a spiritual novel by Walter F. Murphy about the life of St. Peter from the moments after Jesus’s arrest and his denial, through the time of Peter’s death.
In this edition, Haub Vice President for the Division of Mission and Ministry John T. Butler, S.J., better known at BC as “Father Jack,” shares Upon This Rock, a spiritual novel by Walter F. Murphy about the life of St. Peter from the moments after Jesus’ arrest and his denial, through the time of Peter’s death.
“Over 20 years ago, I read a book of Murphy’s that I thoroughly enjoyed. At first, I shied away from Upon This Rock because, as a rule, I do not like spiritual novels. To my surprise, not only did I like it, but I stopped reading it for enjoyment and made it part of my prayer life.
“We often think of saints and popes as these larger-than-life figures. Yet in this novel, Peter is a regular human being struggling with life, faith, and his multiple relationships. In other words, he was one of us. For me, I could resonate with a person of faith who loved Jesus and yet stumbled along the way.
“As a Jesuit, we have a form of prayer called Ignatian Contemplation. We imaginatively put ourselves into the scene and allow the action of the Spirit to move us in interacting with the characters in scripture. For me, Upon This Rock was an Ignatian contemplation, and I hated to come to the end of the book.”
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The legacy of William B. Neenan, S.J., at Boston College is beyond measure. For nearly 35 years, he personally curated the “Dean’s List” of recommended reading and shared it with the BC community. We honor and continue that treasured tradition through Beacon Book Club.