''Morte d'Urban'' is the

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

of J. F. Powers. It was published by Doubleday in 1962. It won the 1963

National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...

. It is still in print, having been reissued by ''

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'' in 2000. The novel tells the story of Father Urban Roche, a member of a fictitious religious order named the Clementines. Fr. Urban has developed a reputation as a gifted public speaker, but is sent by the superior to a remote retreat house in rural

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. There he puts his skills to work improving the facilities and the local church. The book has been widely praised. Thomas Merton called it “a valid and penetrating study of the psychology of a priest in what is essentially a spiritual conflict.”

Jonathan Yardley Jonathan Yardley (born October 27, 1939) was the book critic at ''The Washington Post'' from 1981 to December 2014, and held the same post from 1978 to 1981 at the ''Washington Star''. In 1981, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Bac ...

, in a consideration of the book in ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' four decades later, praised it as “our great workplace saga,” comparing it favorably to

Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American writer and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States (and the first from the Americas) to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was ...

’s ''

Babbitt Babbitt may refer to: Fiction * ''Babbitt'' (novel), a 1922 novel by Sinclair Lewis ** ''Babbitt'' (1924 film), a 1924 silent film based on the novel ** ''Babbitt'' (1934 film), a 1934 film based on the novel *Babbit, the family name of the titl ...

'', calling it “subtler, wittier and much more elegantly written.”

Plot summary

Based out of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Father Urban Roche is a member of the fictitious religious order, the Clementines. The Clementines, by Father Urban's estimation, are stagnating. They care little about innovation and are instead content to remain as they are. Father Urban's charismatic, energetic personality contrasts the rest of the Order. Through his charisma, he befriends a wealthy benefactor named Billy Cosgrove, who helps Fr. Urban secure new quarters for the Order. Despite Fr. Urban's charismatic spirit, he is sent to The Order of St. Clement, a failing retreat house in rural Minnesota. At Minnesota, Fr. Urban is joined by Fr. Jack, an aging priest who was also transferred from Chicago to Minnesota. Fr. Wilfrid presides over The Order of St. Clement and is primarily concerned with completing the necessary repairs to the facility. To Fr. Urban's dismay, the property is in sorry shape, and the Order hardly has the means to repair it. True to his spirit, Fr. Urban dreams of making the retreat a better place and it is renamed St. Clement's Hill. Fr. Urban becomes involved with the surrounding communities in the area, slowly growing a following thanks to his public speaking skills. He plays a large role in revitalizing a local parish and makes connections throughout the community, particularly with the Thwaites family. Mrs. Thwaites, an aging widow, was the previous owner of St. Clement's hill before donating the property to the Order. Thanks to the patronage of Billy Cosgrove, Fr. Urban is able to buy property neighboring St. Clement's Hill to turn into a golf course. With this innovation, the retreat becomes more popular than ever. The Bishop, a man who Fr. Urban feels greatly competitive towards, comes to visit the golf course. The two play a game together, during which Fr. Urban is hit in the head with a golf ball. This event serves as a turning point for Fr. Urban. Soon after this, Billy Cosgrove and Fr. Urban take a fishing trip. Billy cruelly attempts to drown a deer, an action which Fr. Urban counteracts by knocking Billy out of the boat. Angry, Billy responds in kind, pushing Fr. Urban out of the boat, stranding him. He is left on his own and has to find his own way back home. Luckily, while waiting for the bus, Mrs. Thwaites’ daughter, Sally, drives by and offers Billy a ride. The two spend the evening together on a small island in the middle of the lake on the Thwaites’ property, drinking and talking. Sally challenges Fr. Urban to a swim, but, feeling as if their relationship was heading in an immoral direction, he refuses. Sally then goes out for a swim alone and takes the boat, leaving Fr. Urban once again stranded and forced to swim back to shore. In terms of his career, Fr. Urban has never been more successful. He is soon elected Father Provincial and returns to Chicago. However, his health is failing and he no longer acts with the charisma and energy he once did. While he used to live to challenge the bureaucracy of the Order, he is now solidly a part of it and maintains the status quo.

Style

J. F. Powers was known for his writing about priests, but it was ''Morte d'Urban'', his debut novel, that established his voice. Often called the greatest Catholic writer of the 20th century, Powers' priests demonstrate the balance between man and his profession. Powers' sharp wit guides the reader towards having a sense of humor about such a subject.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morte d'Urban National Book Award for Fiction winning works 1962 novels 1962 American novels Doubleday (publisher) books Catholic novels Novels set in Minnesota 1962 debut novels