Father Turiddu and the Polar Vortex

It was the worst winter storm anyone could remember. On January 5th, temperatures fell to record lows (well below zero) and a foot of snow created whiteouts and blizzard conditions that brought the entire city to a complete and total standstill. Monsignor Salvatore E. Turiddu, who everyone called Father T, was effectively trapped inside his 100 year old rectory in the city's central west end. People he cared about-an elderly parishioner who was dying, a little girl lost in the storm, and a faithful friend wrongly accused of espionage-needed his help desperately. For many years, Father T was celebrated as il salvatore della citt?, (the savior of the city), but could he overcome the polar vortex that had paralyzed his beloved city, and most of the Midwestern United States, in order to help friends in need? Or would this man of action be forced to surrender and place his trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus?"Father Turiddu and the Polar Vortex" is the third novel by author Daniel Conway. The Father Turiddu series features the adventures of a beloved Sicilian-American Catholic priest, now in his 80s, who remains a full time pastor and who is known to be a leader in his archdiocese, his city, and above, all in the Italian-American community. Father T was assigned to his current parish in the city's central west end in 1981. Most of his seminary classmates had long since retired, but Father T remained an active, full-time pastor. "As long as I have good health," he said frequently, "I'm going to use all the gifts God gave me to serve my people." Not only did he serve the people of St. Roch Parish, but Father T managed the affairs of his elderly and infirm sister Anne, and he helped out any number of individuals and families. He was also "on call" for a whole host of archdiocesan and civic responsibilities carried out on behalf of his archbishop, the mayor, the chief of police and even the local field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.It was no wonder that he was called il salvatore della citt?. He had earned the title years earlier when as a young priest he helped save the city's Italian neighborhood from the devastating effects of "white flight," the outmigration of whole neighborhoods due to fear and racial prejudice. "If you stay in your homes and don't give in to the fear mongers," the young Sicilian-American priest proclaimed from the pulpit and at neighborhood meetings, "no one can take them from you. End of story!"Father T faced similar challenges when the archbishop first assigned him to St. Roch in 1981. The parish was located in a once prominent neighborhood that was almost abandoned by more than 5,000 people who sold their stately homes for pennies on the dollar and moved to the suburbs. "The archbishop told me to save St. Roch," Father T always said. "He didn't tell me to save souls or rebuild the neighborhood, but how could I save the parish without serving the needs of the people-all of them-who live within the parish boundaries!"Now, 33 years later, St. Roch was a thriving parish and school, and the neighborhood was once again a highly desired place to live and raise a family. Serious problems remained. (The crime rate was still high.) But Father T was justly proud of what he had accomplished in the past three decades-not all by himself, of course, but with the courage, hard work and generosity of many people, including parishioners and their pastor's large and influential network of family members and friends.Faith, family and fidelity to his country are the hallmarks of Father T's ministry. "Father Turiddu and the Polar Vortex" calls attention to all three of these virtues and confirms that even at nearly 83 years old, the Savior of the City remains a force to be reckoned with. End of story!