Cops, Crooks, and Clergy: A Long Journey to Inside the Catholic Church

By James E. Harvey

Cops, Crooks, and Clergy -- the long journey inside the Catholic Church A military and a parallel police career provided author James E. Harvey with a unique perspective to make a professional evaluation of the church he loved and served. Both careers are summarized to establish this foundation. Following the death of his wife, Carol, in a traffic accident, Harvey, the father of six children, entered the seminary and was ordained a Catholic priest. Parishioners were a joy; church leadership, in general, was a disappointment. When Harvey left the active ministry, he wrote "Who's in Charge? -- Leadership Skills for Clergy and Others in Ministry" (Loyola Press, 1996), with the aim of improving the leadership of the church.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1432712640
• ISBN13: 9781432712648
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Outskirts Pr
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

The journey to a fateful decision

The book begins with Harvey seated before the imposing Bishop of Orange. It was time for both men to make a decision. The rest of the book is a fast-paced journey that takes the reader from Havey's humble beginnings in depression era Portland to the wealthy suburbs of Orange County California. Along the way we're riding shotgun as Harvey investigates fraud and other crimes as he works his way up through the ranks with the Portland P.D. A tragedy that would crush the sprit of other men sends Harvey into a new vocation. With his years of experience as a leader and manager with the police Harvey insightfully recounts his years working within the Catholic Church. The question is will he be able to continue his work in an institution that is struggling itself to survive. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the future of the Catholic Church.

many-faceted insights

This book is well-written and has some humorous occasions. It is a short biography of the author with the purpose of giving insights into the philosophical bases for leadership approaches. It skillfully weaves reflections on the life lived so far with the point of decision-making at the end of the amazing careers. I would highly recommend it, especially for persons contemplating or occupying leadership positions.