A New Pope in Rome and a New Novel By Actor/Director Paul Cross

LOS ANGELES - Nov. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- When Pope Benedict XVI recently abdicated  as the Supreme Pontiff and spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, the world press was very explicit in informing the public on how selecting a new pontiff was going to work. However, it failed to go into the political maneuverings that are brought into play by the Roman Curia and its most influential cardinals. What the news commentators didn't tell you was how separate coalitions comprised of cardinals from each continent would try to manipulate their particular candidates into the seat of Peter for various reasons. The princes' of the Church would no doubt be uncomfortable with admitting that the papal selection process works pretty much the same way as any other political election with candidates and their promoters vying for votes in order to win power.  But when Vatican City, which the smallest independent state in the world selects its leader, it is ostensibly accomplished with only the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

But, the novel A Counterfeit Priest, which his based on Cross' screenplay by the same title, gives a different perspective to this assumed spiritual selection and tells the story of Henry Hawkins, a documentary filmmaker who blames the Catholic Church for the death of his wife and is determined to make an exposé revealing the Church’s responsibility.  He travels to Rome where he  poses as a priest in order to get behind the impregnable walls of the Vatican. However, after the sudden death of the pope and a quirk of fate, Henry finds himself locked in the papal conclave with the cardinals as they vie to elect the next leader of over a billion people.  What Henry discovers while clandestinely filming his exposé will change the course of his life, as well the election of the supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Paul Cross was raised Catholic and holds the Church in high regard. "My memories of being brought up Catholic, going to Catholic schools and even being an altar boy, are all extremely happy ones. The nuns and priests who taught me throughout my grammar and most of my high school years were all wonderful people who cared about the students and who were truly concerned about preparing them properly for life after school. You walked the chalk line with them and they wouldn't let you get away with anything, but they used their authority in a very caring way. I loved them all."

Then there's the other side of the fence, Mr. Cross acknowledges . "I know that many people weren't as fortunate as I was and have had very bad experiences with certain Catholic priests and nuns. I truly believe these cases are the exception, not the rule. I also realize that this does not lessen the severity of these circumstances. I believe the same sort of parallels can be drawn in A Counterfeit Priest, as there are exceptional and exemplary people in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, as well as those who aren't and seem, for whatever reason, to get all the attention."

Mr. Cross describes his novel as a caper with heart. "Even though the story has serious overtones, it's underlying message is delivered with humor and compassion, while at the same time exploring the need for hope and faith in our lives."

Paul says that he can relate to the main character of Henry Hawkins in the novel. "When I lived in Rome I bought a cassock and white collar and would walk around the Vatican and sit for hours having coffee at several of the many cafés that surround the Vatican in order to talk to priests and pick their brains for background information. Then I went even further and tried to pull off the same scheme that my main character Henry would later on attempt in the book and screenplay. I wanted to be able to walk around the inside of the Vatican to get the feel of what it would feel like to be part of this powerful institutions everyday existence. So I managed to slip past the guards and walked around for several hours taking pictures with my camera and soaking up the atmosphere, until the color of my socks, they were white, gave me away to a guard as priests do not wear white socks with black cassocks. I was taken to a room and questioned and after confiscating my camera, I was politely escorted out the gate. Fortunately, Henry in the novel and screenplay has much better luck than I did."

A Counterfeit Priest, is available at Amazon and CreatSpace

Paul Cross has written, directed, produced and starred in several award-winning feature films, and documentaries including Severe Visibility, Operation Terror, Follow the Leader, and West End Story. He won Best Screenplay for his script of Champagne & Chocolate, at the Thunderbird International Film Festival, 2003. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0189237/