Andrew M. Greeley (1928-2013)

Catholic priest and writer Andrew M. Greeley, 85, died May 29, 2013 at home in Chicago. Greeley wrote over 100 books of non-fiction and 50 novels. He was best known for his mystery and detective novels, but occasionally wrote work of SF and fantasy interest, beginning with fantasy story “Nora Maeve and Sebi” (1975) and The Magic Cup (1979). Other works of interest include God Game (1986), The Final Planet (1987) and the Angel Fire duology, Angel Fire (1988) and Angel Light (1995). He co-edited an anthology of stories about religion, Sacred Visions, with Michael Cassutt (1991).

Andrew Moran Greeley was born February 5, 1928 in Oak Park IL. He attended seminary, graduating in 1950, and was ordained in 1954. He served for ten years as a Chicago parish priest until the church assigned him to work as a full-time writer and academic. In 1962 he earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Chicago, where he also taught. He later became a tenured professor at the University of Arizona.

Greeley was a prolific author of non-fiction and a syndicated newspaper columnist, and was often critical of the Church’s conservative policies. His public life ended in 2008, when he suffered a skull fracture and serious brain injury in an accident with a taxi.

See the July issue of Locus for a complete obituary, For more, see Greeley’s entry in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.