Book Review: God or Nothing by Robert Cardinal Sarah

God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat by Robert Cardinal Sarah

Robert Cardinal Sarah, a high official in the Vatican, started his life in an obscure village in Guinea, Africa. His town has a Holy Ghost Fathers mission from the turn of the twentieth century; Sarah is only a third generation Catholic. He was very impressed with the fathers and discerned a vocation to the priesthood, not an easy thing in a country run by communist dictators and awash in poverty. His life took many dramatic turns, eventually leading him to Rome as a seminarian. He was ordained in 1969 and became bishop of Conakry (Guinea's capital) in 1979. He was reluctant to take on the duty, thinking of himself as unworthy and unprepared. Also, his predecessor was jailed by the communist dictator Sekoue Toure. Sarah excelled, reforming the local seminary and eventually being called to Rome to another service for which he was unsure, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. He trusted in Pope John Paul II and in the Lord that he would be successful. The story of his life is fascinating and well told by the cardinal through the book's interview format.

But his history only covers the first third of the book. The rest provides reflections and insights Cardinal Sarah has gathered over his years of service. He is forthright in his support of the Catholic faith, especially related to family and social issues. The heart of the faith is the love found in the Holy Trinity; we are meant to reflect and express that love in our lives, no matter what our station in life. He combines a wide knowledge of Scriptures and Church teachings with his experiences in Africa. This book is a delight to read and gives an interesting perspective that is both familiar and original.

Highly recommended.

SAMPLE QUOTE:

The ideological spirit is the opposite of the Gospel spirit. That is why priests who choose to follow or to propagate political ideas are necessarily on the wrong path, since they make sacred something that is not supposed to be. Ideology is by nature disconnected from reality, and it is necessarily a source of division, since it cannot win the lasting allegiance of people who are still anchored in reality, in good times and bad. [p. 130]