It’s 2014, and ISIS has captured the Nine-veh Plains region in Iraq. In the ensuing chaos, Nazar, a 14-year-old Christian boy, is forced to flee his village. He embarks on a perilous journey to find his father, also a Christian, who has gone missing in the fighting.
Nazar grapples with the horrors of war, perseverance, the search for God, and ongoing Christian persecution in Iraq as a character in “Nazar’s Journey,” a new novella by Paul T. Mascia. He drew inspiration from his Catholic faith, social justice work, and joining his father, a doctor, on house calls as a youth.
From 1985 to 2014, Mascia and his wife, Theresa, belonged to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township. They have lived in Columbus, Ohio, for the past four years and are lifelong practicing Catholics.
In the book, Nazar’s search for his missing father serves as a metaphor for man’s search for God — and his search for us.
“God searches for us to invite us into a relationship with him,” said Mascia, adding that the book also explores the displacement of countless Iraqi people in the conflict. “Nazar is broken, weak, and wounded, but God gives him strength.”
Mascia grew up in Port Chester, N.Y., and attended Catholic schools. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a doctor, who showed “great care for people.” A medic in World War II, his father lamen-ted the loss of many young lives in the conflict.
During the Vietnam War, Mascia became a conscientious Catholic objector. He earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Yale University.
“I wanted to get away from the Church as a freshman at Yale. But an inspiring young woman, who recently became a Catholic, talked at retreat about seeking a relationship with Christ. I hadn’t heard that before. It was refreshing,” Mascia said.
At St. Vincent’s, Mascia was part of the adult choir, Knights of Columbus, and Boy Scouts. The couple’s five children attended the former parish school. They also have seven grandchildren.
Mascia also gained more empathy for displaced people while volunteering at a temporary homeless shelter periodically set up at the Shrine of St. Joseph, also in Stirling. He worked in insurance for more than 30 years.
The first-time author got the idea for “Nazar’s Journey” from news stories about the continued persecution of Christians in Iraq. He had help with research from people, who lived in Iraq, including Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, founder and mother servant of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth, and others from the Boston area.
Austin Macauley Publishers issued “Nazar’s Journey” in May. It features nine expressionist paintings by internationally acclaimed Iraqi American artist Qais Al-Sindy. The book includes the novella and supplemental texts.
The book’s proceeds benefit Aid to the Church in Need, which helps persecuted Christians and displaced peoples in conflicts around the world.
“I wrote the book to create a work of art — something beautiful to draw people to Christ,” Mascia said. “Theresa and I love Jesus in prayer, Scripture, and the Eucharist. The book is a way to thank God for his blessings.”
“Nazar’s Journey” can be ordered for $20.95 from major booksellers, such as amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com
