Judith's Marriage

by Bryan Houghton

The tale of an English girl who falls in love with the Catholic faith shortly before the Conciliar reforms of Vatican II, Judith’s Marriage recounts the experiences of an unassuming young saint who must watch as the most profound aspects of her faith are stripped away. At turns lighthearted and profound, but never heavy-handed, this is a story of quiet strength and grace even as the joy of her conversion fades in the wake of upheaval in the Church. But Judith’s Marriage is not only a beautiful telling of faith, it is also a charming romance, providing an intimate look at the close relationship between religion and family life. Long out of print, it remains as relevant now as ever, a perfect example of how true faith will live on despite attacks from without and within. This novel by Bryan Houghton is a splendid addition to Angelico Press’s “Catholic Traditionalist Classics” series.

Genres: Catholic, Fiction, Historical Fiction

Hardcover

First published August 1, 1987

Reviews

[Arathalion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story, somewhat heavy handed writing.

[Bethany Konopelski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A combination of Bridesheqd Revisited and The Awakening of Miss Prim.

The Cross takes central place through in the book, via an heirloom crucifix which changes hands throughout the story.

And it is this focus on the Cross with which Fr Houghton gives his apologia for the perennial Catholic Faith against the chaos ensued at the Council, as well as a picture into how the soul should respond to this crisis in the Church.

The response is one of trust in Divine Providence and the indéfectibility of God’s Church as well as resignation to the cross He is sending in the form of the present state of things. There is neither a denial of the proper authority of the church nor one of the obvious scandal and betrayal being given by her hierarchy.

My favorite example of this in the book is his phenomenological description of the experience of the New Mass for someone habituated to the perennial one, as well as the virtuous response given by the characters. The characters acknowledge both the banality and validity of the new liturgy and respond with patience in suffering, reverence, and a little bit of necessary humor.

[Julia Galvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been postponing this review for weeks because I'm really conflicted about whether to recommend "Judith's Marriage." Written by a British Catholic priest so appalled by the effects of Vatican II that he basically retired from public priesthood (retreating to his family estate to write and celebrate the traditional mass), "Judith's Marriage" is a really interesting account of how contemporary Catholics felt about the changes made to the Church by the Second Vatican Council.
On the other hand, as a novel "Judith's Marriage" is not good. The characters are one-dimensional; pretty much all we ever really learn about the titular Judith is that she is smart, pure, energetic, and delicate. I have seldom encountered a female character so absurdly written-by-a-man. The other characters are drawn similarly, either aristocratic and beautiful or hideous and crass. This book is at its strongest when Houghton inserts theological arguments into his character's mouths. While it's not realistic dialogue, his own thoughts on the book's theological and sociological issues are interesting. 4 stars as a primary source on Vatican II; 2 stars as a novel

[Maurisa Mayerle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and heart wrenching story set during the widespread upheaval and changes of Vatican II. I often wonder how people felt about and reacted to the vast changes which came on the council’s heals. Father Houghton truly brings that to life. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 was because it was a little too fast moving. He could have expounded and developed so much more than he did.

[Fides · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, I'll give it an extra star because it was written by a priest. Preachy. Contrived. He has a bone to pick with the Second Vatican Council, and I can understand that, but things just don't add up.

[Thomas Crow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy read but with a somewhat bizarre turn!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel that captures the culture shock of the progressive revolutionary spirit that coursed through the Church in the 60s.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of the best books I have read! Some chapters are so intoxicatingly wonderful that I will reread them periodically. Every young woman should read this piece by Father Houghton!