The Keys of the Kingdom

Francis Chisholm is a kind-hearted and modest priest whose individuality and sincerity make him unpopular among the clergy. To get rid of the “inconvenient” priest, they send him to China. For more than thirty years, Chisholm supported the mission despite extreme poverty, civil war, plague, and the hostility of his superiors. Fighting against stupidity, fanaticism, and cruelty, Father Chisholm receives the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven—keys that cannot be forged, bought, or stolen.

Cronin’s novel is an engaging, energetic, vivid account of a deeply spiritual man who does good in an imperfect world.

“The Keys of the Kingdom” is one of the best film adaptations of modern English-language literature, starring the incomparable Gregory Peck in the lead role.