All 5 Uses of

fervor
in
A Prayer for Owen Meany

Whereas the Rev. Mr. Merrill had heeded his calling as a young man—he had always been in, and of, the church—the Rev. Mr. Wiggin was a former airline pilot; some difficulty with his eyesight had forced his early retirement from the skies, and he had descended to our wary town with a newfound fervor—the zeal of the convert giving him the healthy but frantic appearance of one of those "elder" citizens who persist in entering vigorous sporting competitions in the over-fifty category.†
p. 113.9

fervor = intense feelings

Kenmore needed to concentrate with such fervor on his own role that he found Scrooge's presence a distraction.†
p. 181.2 *

In the front pews of faces that I observed, no one sought the disappearing angel with as much fervor as Mr. Fish, who was already surprised to hear that Owen Meany did have a speaking part.†
p. 222.0

With what fervor do they relish bringing their sexual misconduct to light!†
p. 312.1

In the summer of '64, Owen Meany resembled a dropout—in many ways—but his fervor for practicing the shot had reappeared.†
p. 456.0