The Priestly Sins

Not since his runaway bestseller, The Cardinal Sins, has Father Andrew M. Greeley written such a searing and topical novel about the state of the Catholic Church. The Priestly Sins tells the story of Father Herman Hoffman, a gifted and innocent young man from the distant prairies of the Great Plains. In the first summer of his first parish appointment, Hoffman is swept up in The Crisis after witnessing child abuse in the parish rectory. He tells the pastor, the father of the victim, and the local police but is rebuffed by the archbishop. Soon he is vilified for denouncing a priest who has been "cleared" by the police and learns the harsh fate of the whistle-blower in the contemporary Catholic church: He is locked up in a mental-health center and then sent into exile to do graduate study. In Chicago to study immigrant history, he encounters the local "Vicar for Extern Priests," the legendary Monsignor Blackie Ryan, who helps him regain his confidence. Hoffman returns home to demand a parish of his own from the archbishop. Reluctantly, the church hierarchy assigns him to a dying parish, but by his zeal and charm Hoffman revives the local church. His brief idyll is shattered by a subpoena to testify in a court hearing. If he speaks, he will have to take on the "downtown" establishment that is determined to destroy him and many of his fellow priests who want to be rid of this painful reminder of a sinful past. Hoffman faces exile not only from his parish, but from the priesthood itself. Writing from the author's fifty years of experience as a priest, The Priestly Sins will be criticized by some but embraced by most as an all-too-candid story of all-too-human priests. The Priestly Sins is Father Greeley's most electrifying novel in three decades, a novel sure to rise up the bestseller lists. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Not since his runaway bestseller, "The Cardinal Sins, has Father Andrew M. Greeley written such a searing and topical novel about the state of the Catholic Church. "The Priestly Sins tells the story of Father Herman Hoffman, a gifted and innocent young man from the distant prairies of the Great Plains. In the first summer of his first parish appointment, Hoffman is swept up in The Crisis after witnessing child abuse in the parish rectory. He tells the pastor, the father of the victim, and the local police but is rebuffed by the archbishop. Soon he is vilified for denouncing a priest who has been "cleared" by the police and learns the harsh fate of the whistle-blower in the contemporary Catholic church: He is locked up in a mental-health center and then sent into exile to do graduate study. In Chicago to study immigrant history, he encounters the local "Vicar for Extern Priests," the legendary Monsignor Blackie Ryan, who helps him regain his confidence. Hoffman returns home to demand a parish of his own from the archbishop. Reluctantly, the church hierarchy assigns him to a dying parish, but by his zeal and charm Hoffman revives the local church. His brief idyll is shattered by a subpoena to testify in a court hearing. If he speaks, he will have to take on the "downtown" establishment that is determined to destroy him and many of his fellow priests who want to be rid of this painful reminder of a sinful past. Hoffman faces exile not only from his parish, but from the priesthood itself. Writing from the author's fifty years of experience as a priest, The Priestly Sins will be criticized by some but embraced by most as an all-too-candid story of all-too-human priests. "ThePriestly Sins is Father Greeley's most electrifying novel in three decades, a novel sure to rise up the bestseller lists.

The Cardinal Sins ignited a worldwide sensation when it first appeared nearly thirty years ago. Selling more than three million copies, it launched Andrew M. Greeley's career as one of America's most popular storytellers. Back in print at last, this powerful saga of ambition, temptation, and love both spiritual and carnal is as timely and provocative as ever. Lifelong friends and occasional rivals, Kevin Brennan and Patrick Donahue enter seminary together, but their lives soon diverge dramatically. Intellectual and independent, Kevin achieves success as a scholar but often finds himself at odds with his superiors in the Church. And his unwavering principles threaten to cut him off from those closest to him—including the former sweetheart he has never forgotten. By contrast, the ambitious Patrick rises steadily through the Church hierarchy, only to fall prey to the temptations of lust and power. As hidden scandals and Patrick's inner demons threaten to destroy the lives of everyone around him, it's up to his oldest friend to save him from himself—and foil a conspiracy that could change the very future of the Papacy! At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Priest, the Woman, & the Confessional is a look at women's role in confessionals. It takes a look at different ideas within the church, served by a former Roman Catholic priest.