Andrew M. Greeley: A Short Tribute
I was shocked to find out that the Roman Catholic priest and writer, Andrew M. Greely, was seriously injured in a freak accident last Friday, November 7th. According to a report in the Chicago Sun Times, the priest had taken a cab to the L station in Chicago to return home after a lecture.
As the cab began to pull away, the 80-year-old priest fell to the ground and hit his head, fracturing his skull. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he was in critical condition, friends and family said Saturday afternoon.
“Right now he’s critical but stable, very stable,” niece Laura Durkin said. “Doctors are hopeful and pleased with his progress from [Friday] to [Saturday].” Greeley, who was wearing a Barack Obama baseball cap when he fell, suffered bleeding on the brain.
As of this writing, the priest remains in critical but stable condition. My prayers are with Father Greeley and the whole event saddens me more than I can say. You see, Father Greeley and I have an odd history together though we have never met. Perhaps he more than anyone else on this planet is responsible for my remaining a Christian. His influence touches almost everything I think and write. (This despite the fact the Greeley, especially in this election cycle, is a rabid—some take that literally—Liberal Democrat and I remain a conservative I don’t know what.)
Back when I was in college, I took a course on Contemporary Catholic Thought. The book used as the basis of the course was Greeley’s The Jesus Myth. Greeley is using the term “myth” in its more sociological fashion of a story with more than historical implications rather than the more common usage of “fable.” If you can get a copy of this book, it is well worth the time to read. Greeley opened up vistas of my application of Jesus unlike any other author. I was excited to read the scriptures after that; and the joy of being Christian as a result has almost never left me.
It’s that good.
After that, I pretty much devoured all he wrote, long before he became the author of romantic fiction. As I wrote to him via email several times thereafter, I always preferred his non-fiction to his fiction. It always opened my eyes to new vistas and challenged some of my more encrusted assumptions.
For some reason, he didn’t take that as a compliment.
I can also contend that Greeley wrote about what is now called “Covenantal Nomism” long before it was so labeled in his book, The Sinai Myth. In that book, published in 1975, he discussed the fact that for the Jews the Law was the sign and response of a people to God’s passionate love rather than their means to acquire that love. Later on, when Sanders book, “Paul and Palestinian Judaism” came out in 1977 and started the New Perspective on Paul, for me it was been there, done that. Greeley got there first.
On a more personal note, my girlfriend (now my wife) actually did meet Fr. Greeley. He had just published his first bestselling novel, The Cardinal Sins. My wife was in Chicago and was able to go to his apartment complex to get her copy autographed. He was gracious enough to come down to the lobby to sign the book for a person he did not know.
And now for the record, Greeley was the major author who tried to get my comic strip, “Joshua’s People” published. He was not successful (obviously), but I am forever grateful for the effort.
When my niece was born, my brother-in-law asked my wife and me to be the god parents. Since we were no longer Catholic, I was conflicted as to what I should do. When I email Greeley about the problem, per the address on his website, he responded. His council was, as to be expected, quick and to the point. It was also effective.
Again, this for a person he never met.
Careful readers of my work will note a similarity in writing style between Greeley and myself. That is not accident. As a famous comedian once said, “If you are going to steal, steal from the best.” One can’t read 50 or more books by someone and not be influenced.
On my wall in my basement is a large cloth banner with a quote from Greeley sewn into it. “Life, for all its tragedy, is still a comedy. Indeed, it is a comic, playful dance with a passionate, loving God.”
As his biographer, John N. Kotre, said of the quote, that is the heart of Andrew Greeley. It should be our heart as well.
Get well, Fr. Greeley.
December 11th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Would like an update on Greeley’s Condition
January 9th, 2009 at 12:49 am
You write well. Like you, I am very much influenced by Andrew Greeley. I have read much of his non-fiction, but most of his fiction. Greeley communicates his philosophy through his characters. I find the unconditional love of God in his mysteries. I find a healthy view of sexuality and a refreshing view of women – he is a priest, I am a married man, and he understands women better than I
March 16th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
I had wanted to confess to him that I was a teenage Megan. I have read a bunch of his fiction books, only one of the nonfiction. I had never been to his website. I had just finished his “Younger Than Springtime” and wanted to leave him a message of gratitude for the wonderful books, not just the lively, fascinating characters, but the lively faith of so many of them, no matter what kinds of problems they had to deal with. And especially the priests, Bishop Blackie, and Cardinal Sean who actually help them and take on the deadwood of the living institution they are the human backbone of. I hate
to think of damage to Father at all, but especially to that mind! Bless your bones and body, Father, and bless your mind and soul!!
May 12th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Fr. Greeley writes well, and makes excellent points in his books. My particular favorite is less of a Catholic primser, but still teaches well. Try “God Game” and keep you marker handy for the quotes you will want to remember. And if you can find a reference, anywhere, to an “ilel” please please let me know.
May 23rd, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Like apparently many others, I have become an unabashed admirer of him, both as a writer and theologian. Although I am not a Roman Catholic (my wife, however, is an Irish born Catholic), I have been immensely impressed by what I see as his “real life” approach to his faith, as well as the very real needs and challenges (also the strengths) of the church and its people.
I am very concerned about Father Greeley’s health, most particularly both his current physical and intellectual state. The published “health updates” (most recently about two months ago), do not give us very much “real” information, and, if he is not going to be able to give us any more of his written wisdom, I think the world should be informed of that fact. I know he is in his 80s ((I am not that far behind), and I would wish him nothing but peace and contentment in his later years, but please, let us know how he is doing now!
May 23rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
It appears from the comments above that some readers assume I have an “inside track” on Fr. Greeley’s condition. Unfortunately, I do not. However, from the reading I have done on the internet and some announcements on his site, Fr. Greeley sustain both mental and physical damage from his accident. Considering his age and “reading between the lines” I suggest you buy his Christmas book. It will likely be his last novel. (And it breaks my heart to write those words.)
But as I said, I am no more on the inside track than anyone else who can google Fr. Greeley’s name.
August 30th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Don’t know if you can help me or not, but I came across your blog when trying to figure something out about one of Greeley’s books. I’m actually new to his work and saddened to hear it looks like Greeley’s writing days might be over. Anyway, in case you can help me, I’m trying to track down something about a poem in one of his fictional books “Irish Mist” – it’s a poem entitled “God” and the book attributes it to a writer named Father Paddy Daly but I have no idea if that is who really wrote it or if that is just another fictional character and Greeley himself wrote the poem. I tried unsuccessfully to google “Father Paddy Daly” so I’m beginning to suspect he really is just a fictional character. Any ideas? I really want to quote the poem but have no idea who to attribute it to!
P.S. Love the Greeley quote you had made into a banner – absolutely stunning!
August 31st, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Hello Helen.
No, I cannot say if the poet in Irish Mist was a fictional character or not. However, you can check it out easier if you like. If Greeley quoted a published poem in “Irish Mist” it should be noted in the copyright notices in the front. Fr. Greeley almost always acknowledged the contributions of others in his writings. If not in the copyrights, then in the author’s forwards. I don’t have a copy of “Irish Mist” handy to check it for you. As I noted in the reviews, I am a fan of his non-fiction more than his fiction.
However, I suspect the poet is fictional, as Greeley like to pen poems himself. I have some of those on my bookshelves as well. The name, Paddy Daly, may have been some fun Greeley was having with his fascination with the Mayor Daleys of Chicago. It may have been some fun with the General Paddy Daly (O’Daly) of the IRA; perhaps confounding the name/biography with Podraig Daly, the contemporary Irish poet.
Neither one was a priest however.
So I suspect Paddy was a pseudonym for Greeley himself.
Hope this helps.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Thanks. It does help. As there is no copyright info given, I shall assume it was a poem written by himself.
April 6th, 2011 at 7:45 am
Just like Helen, I’m new to Greeley’s work and saddened to hear that his writing days might be over. Interesting post! Thanks for sharing