The Sin of Mother Mary

Mary Hellman Murphy tells her story in a diary that spans her life, from her first menstruation in 1939, through the births of seven children and growing obsession with the Virgin Mary, until a fateful reunion at a Catholic parish carnival in 1971. Forced to abandon her talent and dreams of being an artist, self-doubt haunts her as she tries to be a good wife and mother. She triumphs over loneliness, anxiety, failed motherhood, and despair, but faces her worst fears when a child is murdered. Her youngest son, Danny, now a suicidal Hollywood prostitute, is the judge of her life and actions. After reading her diary, Danny must choose whether he can overcome the sad legacies of his mother and get on with his life, or succumb to the self-destructive forces those legacies wrought. This family saga explores what true sin is, what true confession is, and how our towns, churches, and mothers shape and twist, create and destroy our destinies. What responsibilities do our choices bring? How do our failures turn to guilt? What happens when we turn against our true nature? When does faith become obsession? Do we destroy ourselves as perpetual victims or can we use our pain for something higher?