Morris West

Morris Langlo West (April 26, 1916 - October 9, 1999) was an Australian writer. West was born in St Kilda, Victoria and graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1937, and worked as a teacher in New South Wales and Tasmania.

Related Topics:
April 26 - 1916 - October 9 - 1999 - Australia - St Kilda, Victoria - University of Melbourne - 1937 - New South Wales - Tasmania

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He spent 12 years in a monastery of the Christian Brothers, taking annual vows, but left without taking final vows. After leaving Australia in 1955 he lived in Austria, Italy, England and the United States, finally returning to Australia in 1980.

Related Topics:
Monastery - Austria - Italy - England - United States - 1980

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His works often were focused on international politics and the role of the Roman Catholic Church in international affairs. One of his most famous works The Shoes of the Fisherman envisioned the election and career of a Slavic Pope, 15 years before the ascension of Karol Wojtyła to his historical role of becoming Pope John Paul II.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic Church - The Shoes of the Fisherman - Pope John Paul II

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Morris West died while working at his desk on the final chapters of his novel The Last Confession about the trails and imprisonment of Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake for heresy in 1600. Bruno was a figure with whom he had long sympathized and even identified. In 1969 he had published a play The Heretic on the same subject.

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A major theme in much of West's work was a question which is today

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perhaps even more important now than ever: when so many organizations

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use extreme violence towards evil ends, when and under what circumstances

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is it morally acceptable for their opponents to respond with violence?

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