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The Last Priests in America
Shares conversations with a variety of priests, including a recovering alcoholic, a canon lawyer, a rural bishop, a theologian, a sex offender, an HIV positive priest, and a resigned priest
260 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1991
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September 20, 2024
A CATHOLIC JOURNALIST INTERVIEWS 43 PRIESTS, AND COMMENTS ON THEM
Tim Unsworth is a journalist with the National Catholic Reporter, who has written other books such as 'I Am Your Brother Joseph: Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago, 'H'ere Comes Everybody: Stories of Church,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1991 collection of interviews with forty-three priests, "The interviews were as filled with surprises as they were insights... I found virtually no institutional paranoia. While some were more cautious than others, no one seemed intimidated by what the bishop or others would say... The priests interviewed freely discussed the morale problem...
"Many felt that they have worked hard to implement Vatican II but they sense that the effort is now being blunted by the Vatican and the local chancery... they seemed more anxious to talk about their work than about their working conditions. They love their ministry and, with rare exceptions, would do nothing else with their lives." (Pg. xii-xiii)
He adds, "Although the subject of scandal rarely came up, when it did the priests expressed great anger. the sins of a few have tarred them all, they felt, making them objects of suspicion and ridicule... However, they see their bishops locked in a codependent relationship with the flawed priests. The sexual deviate or the womanizer knows that he has a license; the bishop will never publicly bring him to task. The prudent ordinary will continue to treat deviant behavior as a legal matter, calling the diocesan lawyer and arranging out-of-court settlements." (Pg. xiv-xv)
He notes, "Priests read. Most are undisciplined readers... They read both secular and religious material... Most had good-sized libraries of old and new books. Virtually every library had books by Andrew Greeley. Some term him their hero; others found him contentious; but virtually all agreed with his vision of the parish and the parish priest... I didn't glean the faintest idea what their politics were. They sound like Democrats; their bishops sound like Republicans." (Pg. xviii) [Andrew Greeley is one of the priests interviewed, by the way, as is theologian Richard P. McBrien.]
He also observes, "How many alcoholic clergy are there? The accepted national figure holds that 10 percent of the work force... are problem drinkers... Few clergy would quarrel with the estimate that at least 10 percent of priests have a problem with alcohol. Sister Terese Golden, O.P., who works full time with addicted priests, brothers, and sisters believes that the figure is higher. A study done... suggests that the figure would be as high as 15 percent." (Pg. 60-61)
He points out, "Until the early 1960s, the close of Vatican II, and the death of John XXIII, departures from active ministry remained rare. Then, when John Paul VI eased the restrictions for dispensations, the floodgates opened... The data revealed that by the time members of a typical class ordained during this era reached thirty-five, 19 percent had already resigned. By age forty-five, 34 percent had resigned. By the time the class celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary of ordination, 37 percent had resigned. In other words, an ordination class of forty in 1965 had twenty-five surviving members by 1990." (Pg. 130)
He adds, "There is little evidence that resigned priests are returning to active ministry under the present structure... more than sixty priests have inquired about returning. Only five, however, have made formal applications." (Pg. 130-131)
He states, "Black Catholics are spread unevenly over America... Black Catholics are largely in urban areas where they share a religious heritage that is often termed 'Baptist' but is, in fact, a black tradition. One urban priest stated that 60 percent of blacks have no mainstream religious roots. All told, the U.S. has ... black Catholics ... of... 4.9 percent." (Pg. 175-176)
He suggests, "The Pax Christi Community may be the best one-priest parish in America. Clearly, it is a template for what will become the paradigm of the majority of American Churches in the near future... The single presbyter is already commonplace. An estimated 1,900 parishes are now 'priestless' in that they do not have a full-time resident priest. Presently, there are some 3,400 one-priest parishes and that number increases daily." (Pg. 233)
An HIV-positive priest said, "Now, since Dignity was banned, we're dealing with warring factions. There are still five hundred guys doing to Dignity liturgies under another name. They're among the finest liturgies in town. Gays know how to pray. And about 20 percent of them are resigned priests and another 20 percent are guys going into the seminary. It's crazy!" (Pg. 251)
Unsworth says, "The majority of resigned priests ('ex-priest' is a misnomer) are involved in the work of the Church as teachers, social workers, directors of shelters, nursing homes, government programs, etc. The difference is that only a handful are employed by the institutional Church." (Pg. 276)
Unsworth's commentary is at least as insightful as the actual words of his interviewees. Although more than twenty years old, this book is still "must reading" for anyone interesting in the modern Catholic priesthood.
Tim Unsworth is a journalist with the National Catholic Reporter, who has written other books such as 'I Am Your Brother Joseph: Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago, 'H'ere Comes Everybody: Stories of Church,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1991 collection of interviews with forty-three priests, "The interviews were as filled with surprises as they were insights... I found virtually no institutional paranoia. While some were more cautious than others, no one seemed intimidated by what the bishop or others would say... The priests interviewed freely discussed the morale problem...
"Many felt that they have worked hard to implement Vatican II but they sense that the effort is now being blunted by the Vatican and the local chancery... they seemed more anxious to talk about their work than about their working conditions. They love their ministry and, with rare exceptions, would do nothing else with their lives." (Pg. xii-xiii)
He adds, "Although the subject of scandal rarely came up, when it did the priests expressed great anger. the sins of a few have tarred them all, they felt, making them objects of suspicion and ridicule... However, they see their bishops locked in a codependent relationship with the flawed priests. The sexual deviate or the womanizer knows that he has a license; the bishop will never publicly bring him to task. The prudent ordinary will continue to treat deviant behavior as a legal matter, calling the diocesan lawyer and arranging out-of-court settlements." (Pg. xiv-xv)
He notes, "Priests read. Most are undisciplined readers... They read both secular and religious material... Most had good-sized libraries of old and new books. Virtually every library had books by Andrew Greeley. Some term him their hero; others found him contentious; but virtually all agreed with his vision of the parish and the parish priest... I didn't glean the faintest idea what their politics were. They sound like Democrats; their bishops sound like Republicans." (Pg. xviii) [Andrew Greeley is one of the priests interviewed, by the way, as is theologian Richard P. McBrien.]
He also observes, "How many alcoholic clergy are there? The accepted national figure holds that 10 percent of the work force... are problem drinkers... Few clergy would quarrel with the estimate that at least 10 percent of priests have a problem with alcohol. Sister Terese Golden, O.P., who works full time with addicted priests, brothers, and sisters believes that the figure is higher. A study done... suggests that the figure would be as high as 15 percent." (Pg. 60-61)
He points out, "Until the early 1960s, the close of Vatican II, and the death of John XXIII, departures from active ministry remained rare. Then, when John Paul VI eased the restrictions for dispensations, the floodgates opened... The data revealed that by the time members of a typical class ordained during this era reached thirty-five, 19 percent had already resigned. By age forty-five, 34 percent had resigned. By the time the class celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary of ordination, 37 percent had resigned. In other words, an ordination class of forty in 1965 had twenty-five surviving members by 1990." (Pg. 130)
He adds, "There is little evidence that resigned priests are returning to active ministry under the present structure... more than sixty priests have inquired about returning. Only five, however, have made formal applications." (Pg. 130-131)
He states, "Black Catholics are spread unevenly over America... Black Catholics are largely in urban areas where they share a religious heritage that is often termed 'Baptist' but is, in fact, a black tradition. One urban priest stated that 60 percent of blacks have no mainstream religious roots. All told, the U.S. has ... black Catholics ... of... 4.9 percent." (Pg. 175-176)
He suggests, "The Pax Christi Community may be the best one-priest parish in America. Clearly, it is a template for what will become the paradigm of the majority of American Churches in the near future... The single presbyter is already commonplace. An estimated 1,900 parishes are now 'priestless' in that they do not have a full-time resident priest. Presently, there are some 3,400 one-priest parishes and that number increases daily." (Pg. 233)
An HIV-positive priest said, "Now, since Dignity was banned, we're dealing with warring factions. There are still five hundred guys doing to Dignity liturgies under another name. They're among the finest liturgies in town. Gays know how to pray. And about 20 percent of them are resigned priests and another 20 percent are guys going into the seminary. It's crazy!" (Pg. 251)
Unsworth says, "The majority of resigned priests ('ex-priest' is a misnomer) are involved in the work of the Church as teachers, social workers, directors of shelters, nursing homes, government programs, etc. The difference is that only a handful are employed by the institutional Church." (Pg. 276)
Unsworth's commentary is at least as insightful as the actual words of his interviewees. Although more than twenty years old, this book is still "must reading" for anyone interesting in the modern Catholic priesthood.
February 26, 2010
If you read this book, you'll see the problems priest are facing - and some unbelievable priest - both good and surprising. Gay priests are interviewed. This is not your what you'd expect - surprisingly candid and honest. Greeley is one of the most famous ones interviewed.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews