The Higher Court

"The Higher Court" by Mary Stewart Daggett is a tale of a young priest's crisis of faith in the early 1900s. Father Barry faces a suspension which throws his world into disarray, battling feelings of failure and questioning his loyalty to the Church. His grand dreams of constructing a magnificent cathedral crumble under the weight of his unexpected fall from grace, and his thoughts turn to Isabel Doan, a woman symbolizing a path not taken. The story begins amidst a blizzard after a devastating encounter with his bishop. Barry's internal struggle intensifies, forcing him to weigh his spiritual commitments against his personal desires and dream for romantic fulfillment with Isabel.