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Being and Becoming: The Memoir of a Former Catholic Priest
How does one go from being a fervent Catholic to becoming a religious agnostic?
This is the story of Walter Keady’s odyssey, travailing from a conservative Catholic upbringing in Ireland when ‘the whole country was a monastery,’ through his agitating for right-wing religious policies that culminated in his decision to become a priest, through his missionary career in Brazil while Vatican II awakened the Catholic world from slumber, to his loss of religious faith stemming from issues like birth control and celibacy.
Keady tells his story with extraordinary honesty, without sparing either himself or the religious milieu that shaped his life. His recounting of battles with sex and celibacy is central and poignant.
This is the story of Walter Keady’s odyssey, travailing from a conservative Catholic upbringing in Ireland when ‘the whole country was a monastery,’ through his agitating for right-wing religious policies that culminated in his decision to become a priest, through his missionary career in Brazil while Vatican II awakened the Catholic world from slumber, to his loss of religious faith stemming from issues like birth control and celibacy.
Keady tells his story with extraordinary honesty, without sparing either himself or the religious milieu that shaped his life. His recounting of battles with sex and celibacy is central and poignant.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2014
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About the author
Walter Keady
18 books7 followers Walter Keady - Curriculum Vitae
Born in County Mayo, Ireland. Grew up on a farm. Employed in the Irish Civil Service before going on to study for the Catholic priesthood. After BA at University College, Dublin, and four years study of theology at Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage, ordained priest. Served as a missionary in Brazil. Resigned the priesthood and came to the United States. Worked for IBM as a software engineer. Writer, 1994 - present.
Lives in upstate New York, with wife Jennifer.
Publications:
CELIBATES AND OTHER LOVERS (1997, MacMurray & Beck),
MARY MCGREEVY (1998, MacMurray & Beck).
THE ALTRUIST (MacAdam/Cage, 2003).
THE DOWRY (St Martin’s Press, Winter 2007).
THE AGITATOR (Castletree Books, 2012)
BEING AND BECOMING (Castletree Books, 2014)
Short stories (Modern Maturity, March 1998), The Recorder (Journal of American-Irish Historical Society) 2004.
Born in County Mayo, Ireland. Grew up on a farm. Employed in the Irish Civil Service before going on to study for the Catholic priesthood. After BA at University College, Dublin, and four years study of theology at Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage, ordained priest. Served as a missionary in Brazil. Resigned the priesthood and came to the United States. Worked for IBM as a software engineer. Writer, 1994 - present.
Lives in upstate New York, with wife Jennifer.
Publications:
CELIBATES AND OTHER LOVERS (1997, MacMurray & Beck),
MARY MCGREEVY (1998, MacMurray & Beck).
THE ALTRUIST (MacAdam/Cage, 2003).
THE DOWRY (St Martin’s Press, Winter 2007).
THE AGITATOR (Castletree Books, 2012)
BEING AND BECOMING (Castletree Books, 2014)
Short stories (Modern Maturity, March 1998), The Recorder (Journal of American-Irish Historical Society) 2004.
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