Emilia Elsani 11210140000062 4B

Book Title : The Third Secret

Author : Steve Berry
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Date Published : May 17, 2005
Number of Pages : 416 Pages
Book Code : STE PBI NV/294
Genre : Thriller

The Third Secret tell us about the revelation of The Three Secrets of
Fátima, which is a series of apocalyptic visions and prophecies that were given to
three young Portuguese shepherds. The story revolves around Papal secretary,
Father Colin Michener, who signed by the current Pope of Vatican to reveal the
third secret of Fatima which has been kept secret by the church for so long. With
storylines that goes back and forth, this book leads how Michener accomplished
his mission and how he revealed the church lies without making it crumble.
Colin Michener, the Pope’s secretary, as the main character shortly
become my favourite and the most standout character from the book. Michener
character portrayed a priest that is doubts his beliefs after entangled the Vatican
and its politics, secrets, and deceit. He doubts, he questions, he angers, but he
keeps seek the truth for his answer. His persistence and ethic are what I admire the
most. The church dogma about priest celibacy is his main concern since he was in
love with his friend. Katerina, from 15 years prior before. After he reveal the third
secret, where the contents of which say Priests of Lord should not be forbidden
from love and companionship, he knew and realized he could love a woman, his
Church, and his God simultaneously. In that case, his character taught me how
splendid the power of faith and love combine.
There is one character that also caught my attention, the main brain of this
revelation mission, Clement XV, the Pope of Vatican. It would be interesting if I
could be Clement XV, well not truly as a pope but as his character, his true self,
Jakob Volkner. Clement XV portray a humble and intuitive man with compassion
and intelligence also an obedient servant to his God. In the story young Jakob was
called to the priesthood early and he knew he wanted to be a priest to serve his
god. Nevertheless, he also kept his dream alive to study law and become a lawyer,
this is where his intuitive and intelligence are shaped and soon become an
impressive cardinal of Germany. His personality inspires me to be a good person
to others and to my God. From his character I also learn the reason why our ethic
and moral are need to be shaped so that our dreams, whether that is our future
occupation or else, goes along with our believes.
The final act will be my favourite part. This part was so interesting to read,
because I love how Michener and his friend, Cardinal Ngovi, confronted the next
Pope, Peter II or Valendrea, after Clement XV suicide. They found out it was
Valendrea all along who steal the last page of third secret years ago, so the world
never knew about the truth. Michener gave two options to surrender, first choice
was to take sleeping pills just like Clement XV suicide and his short legacy as
pope remain chaste or second choice was Michener turned him into the Sacred
College and he will be the first pope to stand trial. Valendrea eventually choose
the first option just because he thinks his reputation means more than anything
else. For me it is not easy to come up with such idea, somewhat the guilt will
haunt me if I made Valendrea choose the first option but at the end, he was a bad
person, a killer, a liar, a traitor of his believes so I guess he deserve it. And yet the
author made Michener handle the situation very fluid and this part succeed grows
goosebumps.
It comes to a shock, even for me, how I hate the moment when The Third
Secret revealed. The Third Secret indeed a fiction according to the Author.
However, the idea of adjusting LGBT and abortion issues to the book’s plot are
too forced and exaggerated. Priest celibacy issue is still reasonable, but the
approval of abortion and homosexuality from the mother of God is so absurd. I
feel upset because the third secrets do not go well with the previous secrets and
seems like the author obviously written to fit his own personal agenda.
If I could change part of the story, I would change the main message of the
third secret. Because the first secret is about vision of hell and the second secret is
warning of repentance, that is why I would make the third secret a vision or exact
illustration over the end of the world. Images of apocalypse would have made
sense and goes along with previous secrets. Even though my changes will not
affect the ending because the end is about find the culprit who steal the third
secret papers and revealed the church lies, I would have been still satisfied
because all secrets will be connected and made sense. Moreover, the stories final
message would not come off as forced and heavy handed and change into
thought-provoking stories which makes a clear distinction between the church and
faith instead.
This book reminds me about another reading material, a novel by Dan
Brown, The DaVinci Code. On his book it’s also stated how dogmas lead to lies
that the church has provide. The Third Secret and The DaVinci Code emphasized
actions of how the curia will always object to anything that threatens its survival.
Both books tell us The Vatican are now is not about God, or good life, or eternal
happiness, it’s about politics, ambition, and greed. Part of people in Vatican like
Valendrea who is willing to kept some secrets remain seal and the old dogma keep
reign even if their hands got dirty. Nevertheless, they don’t understand the price
of truth, specially when it comes from the divine himself, are priceless.
This novel taught me the importance of having ethic moral, clear mind,
and also keep holding into what I believe, my faith to God. Part of the third secret
stated “Do not forsake your faith, for in the end it will be all that remain”
regardless that these words quoted from virgin Mary, I think the messages can be
applied to every believer in this world. Faith shall be the last fortress we had,
because our faith that led us into good thing, the right dogma, and to our God in
heaven.