A Reluctant Malachi

A RELUCTANT MALACHI is a collection of Thomas J. Quinlan's sometimes serious, sometimes ribald, and often hilarious homilies, reflections, fantasies, and writings which point in the direction his beloved Catholic Church must go in the age of Vatican II. Between jousts at the ludicrous mythology which has infiltrated Christian religion and jousts at those who excoriate him publicly, he masterfully describes the foundation necessary to create a thoughtful, spiritual, and meaningful Catholic-and even Protestant-- Christian community. "TQ has been one of the hidden treasures of the Catholic Church over so many years. Many have not understood his approach to pastoral ministry, but it has been invaluable in many respects. His new book, A Reluctant Malachi, introduces the reader to some of the wisdom he has shared with many Catholics and others over the years. I heartily recommend the book." Richard P. McBrien, Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame.

Thomas Joseph Quinlan was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1929, and educated at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York. He was ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Richmond, Virginia on May 1, 1958. He served as associate pastor in three parishes, then as pastor in six parishes. Called “intense,” “outspoken,” “radical,” and “gifted” in the media, TQ installed the Vatican II vision of a Church Community in every parish, reaching out to the poor, and reaching in to deepening spirituality. Over the years, he has been a lightning rod. railing against the gothic tapestry of the medieval Church, seeking to implement the laity-centered vision of what he sees as the "real" Church, the original Church during its first four hundred years when priests and popes were free to marry and did, when, out of necessity, there were home churches rather than ornate cathedrals. The church of Thomas Quinlan rests in the hearts of its parishioners and, in this book of his homilies and letters to parishioners, he is welcoming it forward.