Much has been written about priests and pedophilia, but not about particular priests and their particular victims. David Margolick’s A Predator Priest (Kindle Single, $0.99) tells the story of Father Bernard Bissonnette, a priest from Grosvenordale, Connecticut and the fifty-year path of destruction and heartache he left in his wake. There were dozens of victims, first in his home state and then in New Mexico, where the Catholic Church sent him to be “cured,” only to recycle him in parishes throughout the state. It highlights the Deary family of Putnam, Connecticut, whose eldest son, Tommy – the second of their thirteen children – was one of Bissonnette’s earliest victims, and who, after struggling for many years with depression, marital problems, and his own sexual identity, eventually killed himself. And it follows the tireless efforts of his youngest brother to overcome the obstructionism and hostility of the Catholic Church and track down Father Bissonnette, confront him with his misdeeds, then bring him to justice – or at least get him thrown out of the Church.
More information can be found at: http://amzn.to/q8ER0N.
David Margolick is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review. His latest full-length book, ELIZABETH AND HAZEL: Two Women of Little Rock will be published in hardcover and e-book editions from Yale University Press in September.
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David,
Thank you for writing this book and publishing it on ebooks. I am a cradle catholic of 82 years and have been appalled by the pedophile priest scandal in my church. The behavior of these demons and the hierarchy that covered up for them and let them continue their abuse is abominable. I do think the majority of bishops in this country are now trying to rectify the wrong doings of the past and the many faithful priests in the church are more aware of wrong doing and learning to be aware of these pedophiles and rid the church of them.
It is amazing what you can learn as a an 80+ year old if if you just read. Thank you again and God Bless.