A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail

by Charles A. Coulombe

The Holy it conjures images of a rich and fantastic world full of magnificent adventures and perilous quests by gallant knights. It whispers of strange mysteries and fabled conspiracies staged by Templars, Cathars, Nazis, and innumerable secret societies. Was it the Cup used by Christ at the Last Supper, or something else? Is there any truth to the wonders and marvels bards and poets associated with it? 

After years of being co-opted by pop culture and New Agers, what significance can this fairy tale still hold for Catholics? Ah, but this is no fairy tale! As A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail shows, not only does the Grail exist, its whereabouts are known today! 

Charles Coulombe examines the fabled vessel’s literary and historical connections, but he offers far more than a stuffy history of a dusty old cup.  Rather, he shows how the Holy Grail is the key to an entire genre of glorious relics and miraculous phenomena that extend from the time of Christ to the present day. A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail uncovers the Grail’s intrinsic connections to Catholic Monarchy and Chivalry, to the Precious Blood of Christ, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts devotions, and to the Kingship of Christ and Queenship of Mary, as well as its ties to the Passion of Our Lord and the Blessed Sacrament. 

Indeed, the Holy Grail is not a myth, but a living reality, a key to a new understanding of the world in which we all live. As far in time and space as the Crucifixion at Golgotha and Medieval deeds of knightly valor, and as close as the next Mass you attend, the Holy Grail is there, a real myth. The Grail is proof that when J.R.R. Tolkien “Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?” it can truly be “A man may do both … The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!” 

In these pages, discover the reality of the legend of the Holy Grail!

Genres: History, Religion, Catholic, Nonfiction, Christianity

264 pages, Hardcover

Published November 20, 2017

About the author

Roy-Charles A. Coulombe is an American Catholic author, historian, and lecturer. Coulombe is known for his advocacy of monarchism.

Reviews

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly enjoyed reading this latest of Mr. Coulombe's works. This book did several things for me: 1.) it made the realities of the Faith more real to me via its discussion on relics and Eucharistic miracles 2.) it provided a history of all the major relics, explaining why they are important and significant 3.) it incited a fervor in me, to go on my own quest for the Holy Grail in my own way. Thank you Mr. Coulombe for another classic!

[Branislav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine work of Mr. Coulombe of taking not just series of theories and stories of the Holy Grail, but depicting the culture entrenched around the relics, especially the ones of body and blood of Jesus does not dissapoint. It is specificaly this cultural aspect that one needs to take an inspiration from and start to model his life around the liturgical year of the church.
It also provides an account of Eucharistic miracles, and other wonders of the Faith and connects it nicely to the main focus which is the Holy Grail itself.

[Leslie Moellering · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was fascinating and I enjoyed reading it.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Holy Grail is one of the most elusive, coveted, and sought after relics in Christendom. Lots of hours have been spent searching for it, and many words (both fiction and non) have been written about it. However, there is still the question in many minds about where it was a real chalice at all or merely some symbolic ideal. In a recent book entitled A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail, Charles A. Coulombe takes a look at the mysteries, myths, and conspiracies surrounding it.


The book begins with a long excerpt telling the tale of Sir Percival and others Knights of King Arthur's Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail. If you don't know this tale, it is a fascinating read about despair and hope, sin and redemption. We then see origins of the Church in the time immediately after Jesus and the many relics associated with His life and death. The chapter covers Constantine's mother (Helena) who was responsible for a large number of relics we have today and it also briefly touches on the origins of Britain and the whispers of Arthur. According to the Arthur, he was a real historical figure, just not the romanticized one that we all know. The author continues walking us through history where we come upon the Crusades with the Grail being a key item in these battles. However, it is not the Grail itself that is of importance, but what the Grail contained the Blood of Christ.


This book does a great job of teaching us Church History without the reader realizing it. The author presents us a lot of information through the centuries, but does so in a compelling way that it is more than reading dry facts, but a journey a quest in and of itself. This seems to be the author's main purpose. Using the Grail as his backdrop, he shows us that the Church of the past was more in tune with the many miracles and wonders of their time. The present day Church is unfortunately not as attuned to present day miracles. Therefore, the author thinks we need to use the story of the Grail to educate people like in the past. Truly a fascinating read and one that I will re-visit in the near future to try and absorb more on my second time reading through it.


This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Doran Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a pretty solid thesis--that the Grail turns out to be the essence of the Faith that is not corruptible by human meddling, transcending time, place, and circumstance--and shows how this transcendent reality has found expression in various places across time. There is a lot of highly interesting information in the book, such as the reality of Eucharistic miracles and the fact that the actual, historical grail is probably in Valencia, Spain, openly displayed for veneration.

The book is a bit unfocused and the writing stands in need of a good editor to cut down on the ponderous language, but overall I do recommend this book.

[Raymond Miscewitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't give this book enough praise.

From start to finish, it felt like a magical journey. Learning about the Holy Grail, how much the Mass meant to the men in King Arthur's time, and so much more was simply awesome for a young person like me with barely any Catholic upbringing.

I loved it. I will reread this book again once I have read everything on my shelf.

Deo Gratias

[Rroyce333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coulombe introduces many saints in this book and explains how they are real life characters in Arthurian literature compared with the knights of Chretien de Troy and Thomas Malory. Great Catholic read for fans of King Arthur and the Holy Grail.

[Sasha Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, but it wasn't quite what I expected. The author focuses on what we can learn from the Grail stories for our own lives rather than on what their original meaning may have been.

[JR Eftink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very interesting to read!!!

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sets grail stories and quest lore in context of Catholic sacraments and doctrines.