Andrew M. Greeley was an American author, sociologist, journalist, and Roman Catholic priest. He was born on February 5, 1928, in Oak Park, Illinois, and grew up in the Austin neighborhood during the time of the Great Depression. From a young age, Greeley had a desire to become a priest, having attended St. Angela Elementary School and subsequently thinking of priesthood from the second grade onwards.
Greeley was a prolific author, having written over 50 best-selling novels and more than 100 works of non-fiction. His writing career spanned several genres, including mystery & thriller, religion & spirituality, and literature & fiction. He is well-known for his popular characters, such as the mystery-solving priest Blackie Ryan and the fey, amateur sleuth Nuala Anne McGrail. Most of Greeley's books are based on Irish-American Roman Catholics living or working in Chicago.
Before becoming a full-time author, Greeley worked as a sociology professor at the universities of Chicago and Arizona. He was also a research associate for the NORC and wrote a weekly column for the Sun-Times, while being a regular contributor to The New York Times, Commonweal, and the National Catholic Reporter, America. Greeley's writing often reflected his upbringing in an Irish Catholic family and his experiences growing up in Chicago.
In addition to his writing, Greeley was a distinguished sociologist and professor of social sciences at the University of Chicago and the University of Arizona. His current sociological research focused on issues facing the Catholic Church, including celibacy of priests, ordination of women, religious imagination, and sexual behavior of Catholics. Greeley received the S.T.L. in 1954 from St. Mary of Lake Seminary, and his graduate work was done at the University of Chicago, where he received the M.A. Degree in 1961 and the Ph.D. in 1962.
Greeley passed away on May 29, 2013, at the age of 85, in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout his life, he donated the income from his book sales to various causes, often helping out students and schools in Chicago and the Chicagoland area. Despite suffering a skull and orbital bone fracture in 2008, which ultimately ended his career, Greeley remained a prominent and influential figure in American literature, sociology, and religion.