Canticles of an Aging Creole

He seeks a retrospective on his family's life and questions his relatives and acquaintances for their recollections. Through this reflection he hopes to understand his mother's stubborn obstruction of his desire to join the priesthood.

His mother bludgeons, connives, and steals his faith-even taking a train to Georgetown University to admonish the priest and guidance counselor to keep the church away from her son. All Mathilde wants is for Henry to be a normal boy who plays sports and has girlfriends from proper society. But as his Aunt Eugenie says, "Henry is special." In the end, Henry must try to both salvage his faith and make peace with his mother's ghost.