05/05/2026
All adults are invited to join Fr. Will for a new summer book club, reading the selection "The Betrothed," by Alessandro Manzoni.
Set in Lombardy during the Spanish occupation of the late 1620s, The Betrothed tells the story of two young lovers, Renzo and Lucia, prevented from marrying by the petty tyrant Don Rodrigo, who desires Lucia for himself. Forced to flee, they are then cruelly separated, and must face many dangers, including plague, famine, and imprisonment, and confront a variety of strange characters - the mysterious Nun of Monza, the fiery Father Cristoforo, and the sinister 'Unnamed' - in their struggle to be reunited. With a vigorous portrayal of enduring passion, The Betrothed's exploration of love, power, and faith presents a whirling panorama of seventeenth-century Italian life and makes it one of the greatest European historical novels.
The three meeting dates will be on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm in Allen Hall: June 17 (introduction) | July 8 (midpoint discussion) | August 26 (conclusion). The suggested donation to cover the cost of the book is $10.00
Please register by May 18 on our website:
https://stthomaswichita.formstack.com/forms/staparishbookclubregistration