• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Lessons from the novel ‘The Plague’

April 14, 2020
By Father Eugene Hemrick
Filed Under: Books, Commentary, Coronavirus, Guest Commentary

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Since early March, the 1947 novel, “The Plague,” by Albert Camus, has been selling out in Japan. The story is reminiscent of today’s virus outbreak and the moral behaviors of those stricken by it.

The large Algerian city of Oran is hit with a plague caused by a rat infestation. At first, city officials won’t admit it. When they finally do, the city is closed, trapping its inhabitants. This causes some to hire smugglers to escape.

In his first sermon on the crisis, a priest, Father Paneloux, points to God’s wrath because of sinfulness. Later, he witnesses a young boy die and is shaken. He proclaims in his second sermon that the unexplainable deaths of innocents compel Christians to choose to believe everything or nothing about God.

Another citizen, Rambert, plans to escape to be with his wife in Paris, but after a conversation with a friend, he feels ashamed and choses to stay in Oran to fight the disease.

As time goes by, most city dwellers come to see the epidemic as a collective disaster that affects everyone and requires each person’s efforts. They accept their social responsibility and participate in efforts to quell the plague.

One commentator, Tony Judt, wrote that the book’s author Albert Camus, was “placing individual moral responsibility at the heart of all public choices (which) cuts sharply across the comfortable habits of our own age.” Judt further pointed to Camus’ definition of heroism, “ordinary people doing extraordinary things out of simple decency” as ringing “truer than we might once have acknowledged.”

The book ends on the note that there is more to admire than to detest in humans.

As undesirable as is a crisis, it can drive us deeper into considering who we really are as humans. For example, when faced with a calamity, do we face it truthfully or falsify it to save face?

Do we accept our moral responsibility and try to do our best in the worst of conditions, or turn our back on our collective responsibilites and run?

Does a crisis encourage us to go beyond the ordinary out of a sense of decency?

When overcome with fear, do we pray to a merciful God or see God’s wrath punishing us?

My Greek professor would chide us that his tests were not scourges but opportunities for improvement. Life’s calamities are occasions to further develop our moral responsibility and courage.

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Father Eugene Hemrick

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use

Cupcakes with 2025 graduation toothpicks in them and a bowl of cookies

Our 31-hour Road Trip

St. Paul and discovering that sin is ‘missing the mark’

Six lit candles on a chocolate birthday cake

Making a birthday wish come true

Pilgrims of Hope: Walking the Way of St. Francis in the Year of Jubilee

| Recent Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use
  • Movie Review: Superman
  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en