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Chicago-area Catholics mostly
approve of the pope, their cardinal and their parish priest, but
they don't like being told how to conduct their sex lives and
they find the Sunday mass deadly dull, best-selling author and
former Chicago Sun-Times columnist Andrew Greeley writes in his
latest and final book. "How can you become enthused about a ceremony that doesn't know how to end?" Greeley writes in Chicago Catholics and the Struggles within Their Church, released today, "but must extend itself through semi-literate or inarticulate comments from laity who add at least 10 more minutes to the agony of boredom?" The book is based, in part, on a 2007 telephone survey of some 524 Catholics living in the Chicago Archdiocese, which encompasses Cook and Lake counties and includes 2.5 million members. Father Greeley, 82, completed his analysis of the study just weeks before his traumatic brain injuries, his family says. The survey of the archdiocese, which Father Greeley describes as "a very complicated place" demographically, asks what it means to be a "good" Catholic. The most popular response -- given by 94 percent of those questioned -- is a belief in the resurrection of Jesus. Seventy-five percent chose giving money to the poor, while 37 percent said accepting the teaching that abortion is always wrong made a believer a good Catholic. Another question asked why Catholics don't attend the weekly mass. Forty-four percent cited "poor" sermons, another 35 percent said the service was "boring," while 12 percent cited the "terrible" singing. Father Greeley says the church "desperately needs reform," and he is both "surprised and shocked" by the numbers who have left the church. "If the Church expects to increase the size of its Sunday congregations, it has a lot of work to do on the quality of preaching and the quality of the Sunday liturgies. . . ." he writes. "We are not supposed to be entertainers, complain the clergy. Yet, people followed after Jesus because they liked to listen to his stories." There's reason for hope, Father Greeley says. He points out that 78 percent of those questioned said Catholicism is either "extremely important" or "very important" in their lives. "Most are not about to
leave the church, no matter how sick they might Editorial Review - Cover Image - Author Update - Order Book
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Other very popular books by Father Greeley include: Irish Linen  Order
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About the Author Editorial Review - Cover Image - Author Update - Order Book In addition to scholarly studies and popular fiction, this prolific writer pens a weekly column that appears in the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers. He is also a frequent contributor to The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, America and Commonweal. Known for his mischievous Irish wit and trenchant commentary, Father Greeley is interviewed regularly on national radio and television. He has also authored hundreds of articles on sociological topics, ranging from school desegregation to elder sex to politics and the environment. His articles appear in a broad cross-section of scholarly publications. |
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Throughout his priesthood, Father Greeley
has unflinchingly urged his beloved Church to become more responsive to
evolving concerns of Catholics everywhere. His clear writing style,
consistent themes and celebrity stature have made him a leading spokesperson
for generations of Catholics. Many claim to have remained within the Church
because Father Greeley fosters meaningful debate on significant issues that
would otherwise remain unexplored. He has chronicled his service to the
Church in two autobiographies, Confessions of a Parish Priest and
Furthermore!
In 1986, Father Greeley established a $1
million Catholic Inner-City School Fund, providing scholarships and
financial support to schools in the Chicago Archdiocese with a minority
student body of more than 50 percent. In 1984, he contributed a $1 million
endowment to establish a chair in Roman Catholic Studies at the University
of Chicago. He also funds an annual lecture series, "The Church in Society,"
at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, Illinois, from which he
received his S.T.L. in 1954. A Chicago native, he earned his M.A. in 1961
and his Ph.D. in 1962 from the University of Chicago. He is a penetrating
student of popular culture who is deeply engaged with the world around him.
Editorial Review - Cover Image - Author Update - Order Book Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
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