Rating: 
Summary: A Novel About Fact and Truth
Review: Andrew Greeley always starts out his works of fiction with the usual disclaimers that his work has very no bearing on any persons, living or dead, and that any relatedness of his stories to actual fact is purely coincidental. Standard fare for a work of fiction. Yet, somehow I envision Andrew Greeley writing this statement with a delightfully diabolical look of glee -- perhaps not unlike that of a leprechaun before he casts a spell! In the The Priestly Sins, once his disclaimers have been made, Andrew Greeley is a witty and engaging writer who relentlessly proceeds into the most timely, sensitive and indeed, fact-based, events of the Catholic Church in recent years. As a Catholic priest himself, this is no doubt a doubly challenging undertaking for Greeley and I applaud his honesty and his efforts to make change in the Church. The Priestly Sins is the story of one fictionalized priest, Father Hugh Hoffman, who upon learning that one of his fellow priests was sexually abusing children, took numerous steps toward intervention. Sadly, so like many cases in the recent historical American Catholic Church, his superiors 'shot the messenger.' They blamed Father Hoffman for trying to destroy the reputation of a 'fine fellow priest" and for betraying the brotherhood. Hoffman, a man willing to stand up for his convictions, did not give up when chastised. And of course, predictably, he was punished further by being branded unstable and thereby placed in an institution for the insane as punishment for his efforts to stop the abuse of children. Sound familiar? Indeed, not all priests stood idly by when they became aware of predators among their ranks. Yet, many were punished and banished for their integrity. Greeley's novel can easily be transposed to a number of dioceses in the United States over the past twenty-five years when denial and protection of the brotherhood and the Church were the guiding principles. Victims be damned; the hierarchy deemed their self protection more important than reaching out and protecting the lives of innocent children. Well written; an engaging story. Sad in the realization that it is all too true. Greeley's novel would make an excellent companion read to Jason Berry's new non-fiction book, 'Vows of Silence' on the same topic. Hopefully, through the efforts of authors such as Greeley and Berry, along with the award winning reportage of The Boston Globe, and the infuriating cases of the last few years in Boston, change will come to the Catholic Church. An enjoyable read, yet a deeply disturbing tale. Andrew Greeley is clearly a believer in the power of the good over evil and I applaud the note of hope on which his novel ends. An important book that every church authority should read and remember. Daniel J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Rating: 
Summary: NOT ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE AND THE CHURCH!
Review: For all those seeking a "inside view" narrative that takes an unflinching look at the nuances of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, and the Church's ham-fisted, criminal response - something I expected after reading this novel's dust jacket - keep looking! I am sad to report that, without exagerration, the parts of the book that deal with sex abuse and/or the church's response include the forward, the first chapter and several instances within the last two chapters. That is it - I kid you not.
If however, you are interested in the long-winded tale of a near-mythically-gifted young man from the prairies of the midwest on his plodding journey to become an arrogant, and somehow at the same time banal, slightly older man, then look no further! This is especially true you are interested in admiring Father Greeley as the self-appointed spokesperson for the entire population of America's "Volga Deutsche" community.
I won't even go into the innumerable pages devoted to the most uninspiring long-distance relationship yet captured in print.
To recap:
Want to read coming of age story about a boring self-adoring midwestern priest...all while getting a crash course in the Volga Deustche? Buy this - you'll love it.
Want a book about the nearly-impossible-to-make-boring Catholic sexual abuse scandal? Don't spend your money here.
Don't say you haven't been warned...
Rating: 
Summary: Another feel-good book by Greeley
Review: Greeley portrays a clean-cut image of a young Catholic priest against the backdrop of his tangential involvement in a sex abuse incident. The story contains two well-developed and sympathetic characters -- a boy and the girl next door -- and how they grow up together and support each other. We get a strong dose of Greeley's sociology about the statistical nature of priestly sex abuse. But, even that is enjoyable and reassuring, in that it puts the problem within a well-defined and managable boundary.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating story of a priest and the coverup crisis
Review: Herman Hoffman thought his hardest task would be to decide between his love for the beautiful Irish-American Kathleen and his calling to the church. And that was a difficult choice. But what he found once he'd entered the priesthood was worse. When Hoffman blew the whistle on a fellow priest he caught in the act of raping a teenaged boy, Hoffman was committed to a mental institution, kept doped for months, and finally sent to graduate school as a form of exile. Still, Hoffman fights for his calling--against all of the pressure that the power of the Archbishopric can bring. Author Andrew M. Greeley deals with one of the most explosive issues facing the Catholic Church in America--the fact of priestly abuse and the even more serious fact of high-ranking cover-up. For decades, anyone who stood for the truth was hounded from the church, boycotted, shunned, and even committed. And the church that Greeley exposes (Greeley is a Catholic priest) is rife with all of the sins that the newspapers cover. But it remains a church of hope. And Father Hoffman stands as a positive example of what people of faith can do. Greeley is a talented author and his strong writing brings to life the emotional growth of Hoffman from youth to accepting his calling, his struggles once he'd witnessed the rape (including support from Greeley's beloved sleuth Bishop Blackey), and the story of the Volga Deutsche (Germans who came to America by way of a century or so spent on the plains of Russia after being invited there during Peter the Great's western push). Greeley shares his mystical vision of the church in an interesting way with the spirit of Hoffman's long-dead great grandmother playing a significant role. Fans of Greeley's mysteries and love stories will want to savor this more complex tale.
Rating:
Summary: Greeley Saves the Day.... Again
Review: Priestly Sins is a recent work of fiction from the intellectually super-charged Catholic priest Father Andrew Greeley. It focuses on a case of child molestation from the perspective of a priest and makes pointed accusations at Catholic priests and bishops for ignoring or covering up the deeds of pedophiles within their ranks.
Not only is this book well written and enjoyably suspenseful (on various levels), it's thought provoking as well. Greeley's Catholic Myth once helped save me from leaving the church back when I was in college. Priestly Sins does the same now as I struggle, as do many other Catholics, with the recent revelations of cover-ups and scandals. Greeley gives us a revealing glimpse into the boys' club (as we women Catholics like to call the priesthood) reminding us that most priests are generally good people. He also appeals to the Church to change from within while encouraging the laity to closely monitor its progress.
Rating:
Summary: "Priests stand together, just like cops and doctors."
Review: Setting this powerful novel in the imaginary Archdiocese of Plains City, Fr. Andrew Greeley uses the Midwest as the setting for a chilling examination of the Church's long-time cover-up of the sexual abuse of children by priests. Though the book is fiction and the main character imaginary, all the details, according to the author, have actually happened somewhere in the United States. The novel opens with an eight-page "partial transcript" of the case of Todd Sweeney against the Church, a stunning testimony in which Fr. Herman "Hugh" Hoffman reveals that when he was a newly ordained "farm boy, six weeks into his first assignment," he responded to a child's screams and witnessed Father Leonard "Lucifer" Lyon assaulting Todd Sweeney. In surprisingly graphic detail Fr. Hoffman describes what he saw and the cover-up that evolved when he reported this crime to the Monsignor and Archbishop. Having established all the above in the opening chapter, the author then examines the life of Hugh Hoffman from his childhood in a closely knit farm family through his school years, his genuine (and passionate) love for Kathleen Quinlan, with whom he had a two-year affair, and his college years. His self-examination, his fears, hopes, and recognition of his own failings, show realistically the evolution of this "farm boy" into a committed priest. A dramatic contrast with the pedophile priest, the author uses him to show how good priests, over the years, have had to reconcile the teachings of the Church with the imperfect reality of the Church's structure. The author does not mince words, vividly describing the systematic psychological warfare waged against those who challenge the status quo, and he is uncompromising in his depiction of a seminary system which, in need of priests, accepts and often ordains people who have clearly shown their unsuitability to work with children. The novel is absorbing, with plenty of action, and the author's decision to tell the story from Fr. Hoffman's point of view adds a new dimension to a problem which has been seen until now almost exclusively from the point of view of the immediate victim and family. The author's comparative statistics regarding abuse by priests vs. abuse by married clergy of other denominations, in the conclusion, support his heartfelt belief in a celibate priesthood, but these statistics are not footnoted, and they change the tone of the novel and make the ending feel a bit didactic. This is an honest and searching examination of a terrible problem, however, highlighting the difficulties faced by caring priests who have found themselves trapped within an unresponsive system. Mary Whipple
Rating:
Summary: Church crisis
Review: The controversial novel tells the story of Father Herman Hugh Hoffman, a gifted and aspiring young man (who always strives to be a good priest though not always succeeds because everyone sins) from the imaginary prairies of the Great Plains. In the first summer of his first parish appointment, Hoffman witnessed child abuse by a fellow priest Lenny Lyon in the parish rectory. He reported to the pastor, the bishop, the father of the victim, and the local police but was only rebuffed by the archbishop. What followed was such preposterous drama that sent Father Hoffman to an exile at a mental institution. The church vilified Father Hoffman for his denouncing a gifted priest favored partially by the archbishop and cleared by police. Soon the church went as far as portraying Hoffman as an allegedly gay priest who reported his homosexual fantasy as a fact. Under the fire from his fellow priests for selling out the church to appear and testify in court, the Archdiocese deplored all sexual abuse and claimed to have solid evidence that the plaintiff paid Father Hoffman to testify against the church. The novel exposes the viciousness with which church authorities shun taking responsibility for serious felony. The so-called victim's advocate acted as the archbishop's official bishop who beated down resistance of the victim's family and exhorted them to settle the case. The church peremptorily denounced Hoffman's testimony but quailed to admit the truth that Lenny Lyon was dying of AIDS and, what's more, at whose funeral the church denied it was AIDS and blamed the affliction on the stress Hoffman started. The case evinces that the diocese had systematically and deliberately, through the church hierarchy, covered up sexual abuse and punished those who tried to report such crime. The Priestly Sins leaves us a judgment of the crisis: that those who might seem to be the worst sinners are not the predators like Lenny Lyon (who actually repented and was anointed before his last breath), but other priests and church authorities who know about what the predators have done and remain silent and even defend them out of wounded pride. In another words, the novel has afforded a glimpse to the ongoing debate on celibacy practiced by priests. Whether celibate or not, abuse is caused by a syndrome that is deeply rooted in a personality disorder. The Priestly Sins, with its fictional setting and characters, conveys an air of verisimilitude to the church crisis. 2004 (21) © MY
Rating:
Summary: Scandal in the Church
Review: THE PRIESTLY SINS by Andrew M. Greeley Andrew Greeley's latest novel, THE PRIESTLY SINS, details a fictional account of a sexual abuse case involving the Roman Catholic Church. Greeley's appeal to his readers is probably the warm characters that he introduces in his books. In this particular novel, the reader meets Father Herman "Hugh" Hoffman, a very likable man who finds himself in the middle of this big controversy, as a witness to a rape of a young altar boy by a fellow priest. The book is somewhat uneven in tone due to the interspersing of newspaper articles that are used to help follow the progress of this case. However, THE PRIESTLY SINS is mostly a story about the life of Father Hoffman, and the events that lead up to his involvement in this abuse case. Told in a very light hearted manner, Hoffman narrates the story of his childhood, his involvement with his childhood sweetheart Kathleen, and the path that led him to the priesthood. It's difficult to say which is more interesting, Hoffman's life story, or the actual sexual abuse case that he was a witness to. Both plot lines were of big interest to this reader. An additional plus to this book is the appearance of the famous Blackie Ryan, Greeley's most popular character. I have yet to read a Blackie Ryan novel, but I will definitely look these up, after having read THE PRIESTLY SINS. I wouldn't mind too much to read another novel centering on Father Hoffman, as he is another very likeable character. THE PRIESTLY SINS gets 4 stars from this reviewer. A very enjoyable and readable book, it's a great introduction to the novels of Andrew Greeley.
Rating:
Summary: Scandal in the Church
Review: THE PRIESTLY SINS by Andrew M. Greeley Andrew Greeley's latest novel, THE PRIESTLY SINS, details a fictional account of a sexual abuse case involving the Roman Catholic Church. Greeley's appeal to his readers is probably the warm characters that he introduces in his books. In this particular novel, the reader meets Father Herman "Hugh" Hoffman, a very likable man who finds himself in the middle of this big controversy, as a witness to a rape of a young altar boy by a fellow priest. The book is somewhat uneven in tone due to the interspersing of newspaper articles that are used to help follow the progress of this case. However, THE PRIESTLY SINS is mostly a story about the life of Father Hoffman, and the events that lead up to his involvement in this abuse case. Told in a very light hearted manner, Hoffman narrates the story of his childhood, his involvement with his childhood sweetheart Kathleen, and the path that led him to the priesthood. It's difficult to say which is more interesting, Hoffman's life story, or the actual sexual abuse case that he was a witness to. Both plot lines were of big interest to this reader. An additional plus to this book is the appearance of the famous Blackie Ryan, Greeley's most popular character. I have yet to read a Blackie Ryan novel, but I will definitely look these up, after having read THE PRIESTLY SINS. I wouldn't mind too much to read another novel centering on Father Hoffman, as he is another very likeable character. THE PRIESTLY SINS gets 4 stars from this reviewer. A very enjoyable and readable book, it's a great introduction to the novels of Andrew Greeley.
Rating:
Summary: "I fear I seek my own image rather than His honor and glory"
Review: The Priestly Sins is a powerful account of one man's battle against an overly bureaucratic and ineffectual institution that looks after its own and seeks to cover up scandal. Father Herman "Hermie" Hugh Hoffman, a stoic, and moral young man, finds himself at the center of a sexual abuse controversy when he witnesses the rape of the young altar boy, Todd Sweeny, by the lascivious and predatory fellow priest, Leonard "Lucifer" Lyon. The story begins with an eight-page partial transcript where Hermie reveals when and where - as a newly ordained farm boy, six weeks into his first assignment - he saw Father Lyon brutally sodomizing Sweeney. Hermie, in an act of incredible stoicism, then goes onto explain the whole culture of denial, stonewalling and cover-up that happened when he reported the crime to the Monsignor and Archbishop. As the story progresses, it is slowly revealed how Lucifer Lyon, who should never have been ordained - "everyone knew who he was, but were afraid to ban him" - was sent away for "rehabilitation." Hermie, as he tries to bring the corruption to light, is discredited and defiled at every turn by a collection of local clergy led by "Slippery" Louie. Much of the novel centers on the life of Father Hermie Hoffman, and the events that led up to his involvement in this abuse case. Hermie is a quintessential stolid, stable Russian German, a "Volga deutsche" who lives on the small prairie town of Lincoln Junction that is like a Swiss village "without the mountains," where homes are painted bright colors, and shops have vivid window displays. "A type of mirage in the midst of the American prairies." From an early age, it is clear that Hermie was called by God to be a priest, a parish priest, with a mission to work and pray for the people, to share his life with them, and their lives with him. He wants to give decent homilies, greet his parishioners after mass with a smile, and be good to their kids. However, his mission to sainthood is derailed by his adolescent love for the beautiful, smart-mouthed, and fiery redhead Kathleen Quinlan. Kathleen, whose mother suicides when she was a little girl, has become a budding young woman and invades his fantasies, along with the spirit of Irene, his dead great grand mother - a mysterious, spiritual visitor who comes to him throughout his journey to become a priest. As Hermie further defies the church, the church, in turn, tries to discredit him by packing him off to a recovery center, where he's drugged and accused of being gay. It soon becomes clear that the priests are irrevocably standing together and taking care of their own, "just like cops, doctors, and farmers." The church, with their "deep pockets, and slick lawyers," operate in an environment where most abuse victims lack defense, are persuaded to settle, or just become tired of fighting the Church. Greeley paints a portrait of a fearful institution that has become mired in debt, and is suffering from failed decision and policy making. The ever-increasing critical media coverage, the sex abuse scandals, and the fear of gays infiltrating its ranks, hasn't helped its reputation. Greeley's Catholic Church is an institution that is peppered with oddballs and sexually dysfunctional people, and yet when threatened, sweeps corruption under the rug and tries to exert control over the media, the courts and the juries. I liked the topicality of the novel, and the author's journalistic style - the use of court transcripts and letters suits the subject matter well. But this reader couldn't help thinking that the story, although well told, could have perhaps benefited from a more "literary" and erudite style.(...)
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