catholic by Joe McAvoy

Joe McAvoy's reflective essay recounts his devout Catholic upbringing on Long Island in the 1960s and how personal and institutional betrayals—especially within the Church—shattered his faith and awakened a lifelong skepticism. Through vivid memories of rigid doctrine, family turmoil, and abusive clergy, McAvoy traces the painful unraveling of once-unquestioned beliefs. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/07/catholic/ About the Author: Joe McAvoy's short fiction, essays, sport and music pieces, satire, and poetry have appeared in magazines and literary journals worldwide (thanks to the internet) including in Catamaran, The Sport Digest, Speculative Grammarian, Points in Case, The Timberline Review, and many others. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Kyle, and their English Lab, Rosie. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.