Forbidden Fruit: True Story of My Secret Love Affair with Ireland's Most Powerful Bishop

I remembered this story when it hit the news years ago, simply for the fact that the son, Peter, is about my age and in fact was born just a few weeks before I was (in 74). The church was just around the corner from being rocked to the core with the sex scandals which now seem so commonplace, this seeming so otherwise innocent compared to what we would eventually hear. And still, all these years later, we have no answers except to say that we made a mistake of some kind centuries ago, but we do little to nothing to change it except to simply walk away from the church. Annie Murphy had just gotten divorced and was looking for some R & R or some kind of spiritual journey when she traveled to Ireland in 73. Instead, she got something she didn't expect in the least, to meet the Bishop of Ireland and have an affair with him. The affair was not a one time encounter, but lasted months! The detail of their affair are for the readers who are interested in those things, because sex sells. The issue of avoidance seems to be there which I can't seem to really accept. She said there was some talk about birth control of some kind, but he just said "Let's hope it doesn't come up". When she got pregnant, he turned on her, perhaps angry at himself that he let this happen and instead of being an adult, accepting his role in it, and taking his lumps, he turns on her. Annie returned to the States with her son, Peter, and simply lives simply as she can. She goes on in her book to go off about the Catholic Church and the hypocricy of their rules and regulations for priests as well as followers. Is she right? Well, yes, there are a million and a half contradictions to these things. But you, as the priest or believer, must decide if you do or don't believe in these rules. If you do, then go in head first and never look back. If not, get over it and move on. Easier said than done for a follower, but not for a priest. We need to change this celibacy doctrine, and perhaps more than ever, as the church is a dying flame in the world today for perhaps this reason above all others. As for the bishop, he did a bad thing in how he treated Annie and their son. He resigned, disgraced and without ceremony from the church to do missionary work in Latin America. I wonder if he ever apologized to Annie and Peter.

I felt this was an important story in the oncoming tital wave of scandals broken. This woman who rocked the cradle then rocked a nation. I don't think the story did justice to magnitude of the theme. In telling of the tale and her "voice" did not flow through this story. I feel her river would have flowed differently if she had been allowed to do that. I do respect her honesty in baring both the dark and light which propelled her forward and just as the Bishop did some dastardly deed so did she. I feel this story could have been shorten and thus stronger. It posssed the ingredients of abuse, love, regret, devilish humor, revenge,loss and hope. But it was told in primary colors-without shading one can be blinded but perhaps that was the main idea-just get it out there and the heck with the rest. But these are people we are talking about not just Bishops and pawns....

I read this book during the 1990's while I was still a practicing Roman Catholic. At that time, I was having trouble with many of the church's teachings and practices. This book confirmed some of what I already knew and also opened my eyes to some bigger issues, too. This was an excellent book, but more than in just 1 way. First, it's a wonderful autobiography. Annie Murphy bears her ver soul and lays her heart on the line for all to see. Some autobiographies do that, others don't. I must applaud Annie for being as brutally honest as she was about everything-the love affair w/Bishop Casey, the chold out of wedlock, the bishop's lengthy silence about the whole ordeal, and of the bishop's refusal to see his son. This book also exposes the whole double life issue. Many priests around the world have struggled with lust. Any Catholic that knows or has investigated the church's history will tell you that. Due to the behind closed door struggles with lust, many priests live and lead a double life. What they do privately and publicly are often vastly different. This book would lend a lot of support to the argument of why priests should be able to get married. The Catholic Church in Ireland still have trouble acknowledging this story. When asked, the Catholic clergy in Ireland will tell you what they know of it. But they rarely ever talk about it voluntarily without being asked. It's a blackmark on their record to which I'm not sure they've ever recovered from. In addition, this book is also good at examining the faults of the Catholic Church in general. Even though she was born and raised Catholic in the U.S., Annie also brings up many of the Catholic Church's problems. For example, why does the Catholic Church have certain teachings and doctrines but many Catholics live and believe something to the contrary and still remain Catholic? She cites many examples of this issue. I will say this for Annie. She didn't just disagree with the church and stay like so many others have and still do. She did actually leave rather than stay and complain. If anyone out there is thinking about joining the Catholic Church, I'd suggest reading this book. It will open your eyes, set you straight, and reveal many things you probably weren't aware of. One final note-Bishop Casey is no longer the bishop of Ireland. While he did admit publicly that he did have a child out of wedlock, he has never seen his son Peter that he fathered with Annie. My prayer is that Peter will forgive his father, Eammon Casey, if he hasn't already. In addition, my prayer is that Annie Murphy and Eammon Casey will also find a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, if they haven't done so already. He is there for any and all who earnestly seek him and will forgive them, no matter who they are and what they've done. Sincerely, Pastor Roger

If some of you really read between the lines and get the knowledge of the pain and true love that goes through the whole book, you will feel the pain of all the 'forbidden' couples in the world have to go through and the environment's judgement on all that is 'forbidden';The true love! I'm sure that every one, man or woman can recognise the pain for both of them. Please open your hearts! Feel for them! Get the comfort for all your own unhappiness -By the environment judgements! I'm sure God DID wan't them to be happy, but the Catholic earth was so filled with historic traditions. Forgive them too! Read it! Feel it! I recognise their pain, but mine is more of unhappy ending! I wish that I could share it with you, Another time maybe..

Annie Murpy had shown in her book how it can happen that a woman fall in love with a bishop and the problems who are caused by this love. Its a real live story with no happy end. The book shows how to people love each other and also fight each other with the same passion. It shows real persons no complete angels or devils but people with their betrails and antruth how it happens every day.