Overview

In this engaging memoir, Father Hugh Duffy chronicles his more than fifty-year journey as a Catholic priest, revealing the complex and often painful struggle between his vocation to serve the gospel and navigating the institutional church. From his early days establishing charitable programs in Ireland to his later years visiting parishes across America, he unflinchingly examines how the church's institutional structure can often work against its own mission to maintain gospel values. Through vivid personal accounts, he reveals his battles against corruption, false accusations, and abuse of power while retaining his unwavering commitment to serve those in need. The title, drawn from the prophet Jeremiah's lament, reflects Duffy's own wrestling with a calling that led him along unexpected and challenging paths. This is not merely a critique, but rather a heartfelt plea for reform and renewal. Written with both candor and compassion, this memoir offers an insider's perspective on the Catholic Church's internal conflicts while pointing forward toward hope for its future. The story speaks to anyone who has ever found themselves caught between institutional power and their deepest convictions, reminding readers that true service requires courage to stand firm in the face of opposition.

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Reviews

""In You Duped Me, O Lord, Father Hugh Duffy details a very impressive priestly résumé over the span of five decades. An excellent writer, Father Duffy is, in a sense, able to bring the reader to the various scenes of his life's journey so the reader can 'watch' them up close. Especially interesting is Father's account of being falsely accused of wrongdoing on two separate occasions some years apart. It should surprise no one that, behind the scenes, political machinations are alive and well in the institutional church, even at the diocesan level. Yet I still shake my head when I hear and read about such corruption, be it covering up cases of clergy and religious sexual abuse or persecuting priests like Father Duffy by falsely accusing him for speaking truth to power."" --Matt C. Abbott, Catholic Commentator

Author Information

Hugh Duffy holds a PhD from the University of Hull, England. Born in Donegal, Ireland, he was ordained in 1966 in Dublin. He founded Christian Community Action (CCA) in Ireland to implement the corporal works of mercy in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25. Duffy served as pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Okeechobee, Florida, for thirty years. He was an outreach speaker for Cross International Inc., a relief and development ministry. He is the author of Queen of the Sciences (2004) and What Is This Thing Called Faith? (2016).

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