Greeley, Andrew (1928-2013), was an American priest , sociologist, and author. Both an outspoken critic and strong supporter of the Roman Catholic Church , he became a controversial figure. Greeley also wrote more than 150 books, including popular novels and scholarly works on sociological topics.
Andrew Moran Greeley was born on Feb. 5, 1928, in Oak Park, Illinois, to a family of Irish descent. His father was a business executive. From childhood, Greeley wanted to become a priest. He attended two Chicago-area seminaries and was ordained a priest in 1954. Following ordination, Greeley studied sociology at the University of Chicago , receiving a master’s degree in 1961 and a doctorate in 1962. Greeley also served as assistant pastor at three Chicago churches from 1954 to 1986.
During the 1960’s, Greeley worked at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, eventually becoming its senior study director. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, he wrote many works of sociology, including Unsecular Man: The Persistence of Religion (1972) and The American Catholic: A Social Portrait (1977). He also conducted sociological studies about American priests, Catholic schools, and Irish Americans. For many years, Greeley worked as a professor of sociology at the University of Arizona in Tucson and at the University of Chicago.
Greeley published his first novel , The Magic Cup, in 1979. Several of his novels, including The Cardinal Sins (1981), have appeared on The New York Times best-seller list. Greeley’s novels, sometimes characterized as “racy,” include mysteries and tales of errant clergy. A number of them feature a detective priest named Blackie Ryan.
Greeley also wrote many articles, columns, and op-ed pieces about religion and politics for prominent periodicals, including the Chicago-Sun Times. Generally considered a liberal , Greeley argued for the ordination of married men and women as priests, a positive attitude toward sexuality, and the wisdom of lay Catholics. In the 1980’s, Greeley became one of the first people to demand that the Catholic Church take action against sexual abuse of children by priests. However, Greeley also defended his faith against what he viewed as anti-Catholic prejudice and supported such causes as Catholic education. In 1986, he established a $1-million fund for Chicago Catholic schools with largely minority student bodies. He also endowed an academic chair in Roman Catholic studies at the University of Chicago and funded an annual lecture series at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.
Greeley continued writing books until 2008. That year, he suffered a head injury from which he never fully recovered. His last book, Chicago Catholics and the Struggles Within Their Church, was published in 2011. Greeley died in Chicago on May 29, 2013.
