SKU: 3147540964

"if You Love Me, You Will Do My Will": The Stranger-Than-Fiction Saga of a Trappist Monk, a Texas Widow, and Her Half-Billion-Dollar Fortune

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"if You Love Me, You Will Do My Will": The Stranger-Than-Fiction Saga of a Trappist Monk, a Texas Widow, and Her Half-Billion-Dollar FortuneThis is a story of a vast cattle and oil fortune left hanging by the thread of a widow's dying wish; a story of prodigious egos and ambitions competing for the fortune before the widow was even buried; a story about a legal battle that has lasted a quarter century and has swept like a range fire from dusty cow town courtrooms to the marble halls of the Vatican, pitting captains of industry against princes of the Church. And if it had happened anywhere

This is a story of a vast cattle and oil fortune left hanging by the thread of a widow's dying wish; a story of prodigious egos and ambitions competing for the fortune before the widow was even buried; a story about a legal battle that has lasted a quarter-century and has swept like a range fire from dusty cow-town courtrooms to the marble halls of the Vatican, pitting captains of industry against princes of the Church. And if it had happened anywhere other than Texas, you probably wouldn't believe a word of it.

Sarita Kenedy East was the aging, melancholy mistress of a cattle kingdom as big as Rhode Island: La Parra, 400,000 acres of South Texas rangeland next door to the fabled King Ranch. She was the last Kenedy. And although she cherished the huge ranch founded by her grandfather, her life there oppressed her. Mrs. East's only solace was in her memories, her abiding Catholic faith, and her nightly tumblers of scotch.

In 1948 Sarita received a surprise caller, a young and charismatic Trappist monk, Brother Leo--the alleged Svengali of this saga--who had been sent out from his monastery in New England to scout potential sites for new Trappist monasteries...and to find rich Catholic donors to pay for them. In time he discovered what Sarita herself did not know, that under her lands lay an ocean of oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Brother Leo had a gift for persuasion. He became the lonely widow's spiritual counselor, and before she died she made him trustee of a charitable foundation that he says was meant to help the poor of Latin America. But Brother Leo ran into some formidable opposition: Sarita's vengeful relatives in Texas, Fortune 500 industrialist J. Peter Grace, and the Catholic Church itself all had other plans for the giant estate.

"If You Love Me You Will Do My Will," based upon two decades of investigative reporting and interviews with almost every major character, details this extravagant drama, an epic even by Texas standards.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 03/01/1990
ISBN: 9780393338638
Pages: 383
Weight: 1.07lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.85d
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SKU: 3147540964

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Amazon Customer
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
Great for aggressive chewers!
Size: Jumbo, Style: Peanut Butter
I have a very very aggressive chewer. She is a Rottweiler/Pitbull mix. Most toys she completely destroys within 2 days, sometimes 2 hours. I must praise this toy as she has had it for over 5 months and has not destroyed it! She loves chewing the ends and carries in her mouth squeaking it as she goes. I have 4 pups and they all take turns chewing when they can. I will be buying more Playology dog toys in the future. Thank you for making such a great toy!!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2026
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Steven Turner
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
They are her favorites
Size: Medium (VALUE 2-Pack), Style: Beef, Size: Medium (VALUE 2-Pack), Style: Beef
We’ve had many dogs, many very destructive ones and wish I had these years ago. The hard toys get sharp edges, this toy is the best and yes is far better than the other red ones. My bulldog wants tug of war for 30 min to an hour every night. We’ve gotten tennis elbow, tendinitis, and pulled muscles holding onto this thing. She has tons of toys but 9pm and this is only option for her. We don’t get a choice. Easy to hold, well for a few min until your hand gets tired. First you one was about 3 years ago and she’s only on her third one. They last forever, easy to clean, and aren’t sharp edges. Seriously, better than any toy sold anywhere. My phone has hundred of pictures of Pickle holding this. She’s doing it right now. If you have a strong destructive dog that takes pride in destroying toys, ruin their confidence and get them this one.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2026
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Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect Toy for Large Dogs
Size: Medium, Style: Cheddar Cheese
I don’t normally leave reviews, but this toy is stellar and is a new favorite for my dog! She is a large dog (70lbs cattle dog lab mix) and I accidentally bought a medium, but it actually is a great size for her! So far this stands up to her chewing, but I may need to update in a few weeks to speak for durability but it really does feel solid. Most toys don’t last an afternoon once she starts chewing, so this has already won in that regard. The shape is perfect as well. She can gnaw at it, squeak, play fetch, play tug. It bounces when she throws it around herself. The fact it smells like stinky cheese is just an added bonus for her. All around, a very well designed dog toy!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
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Aly
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 4
Boxer Baby’s Favorite
Size: Jumbo, Style: Beef
This toy is my sweet girl’s absolute favorite. It was the first thing we gave her when we brought her home, and she has been obsessed with it since. She brings it from room to room, inside and outside. I would highly recommend this toy, however, we have gone through six in one year. They’re not very durable, especially with our boxer mix, who is a very heavy chewer. I’ve gotten the red and the blue, and she will only take red, which is fine with me because the blue STINKS. The red stinks too, but less so. The squeak is very loud, but she genuinely loves it so much that it’s hard to be annoyed by it. I’d say give the toy a try, you may be unintentionally giving them their favorite thing ever lol.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2025
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Renia
Draper, US
★★★★★ 1
Design Hazard
Size: Medium, Style: Bacon, Size: Medium, Style: Bacon
I have one of these in a larger version I picked up at the petstore. This one I do not recommend. There is a whole in the center where the pet bites down and my doggies' teeth kept getting stuck in it. If you've ever had a toy get stuck in your pups mouth, you've seen how thet go nuts trying to get it out.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2026

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