That Turbulent Priest

Raymond A. Schroth, S.J., reviews the life of the controversial priest and politician Robert F. Drinan, S.J. When Fr. Drinan ran for Congress in 1970, he was among a dozen priests and religious seeking higher office. By the time Drinan was forced to leave in 1980 by order of Pope John Paul II, that number had dwindled, signaling the end of the era of the priest-politician. In his ten years in office, Drinan helped bring an end to the war in Vietnam and impeach a sitting president. Fr. Schroth discusses his controversial legacy, including his much cited stand on abortion. Fr. Schroth's Bob Drinan: The Controversial Life of the First Catholic Priest Elected to Congress is published by Fordham University Press.