A candid and controversial look at the hearts and souls of two very different Catholic priests, The Cardinal Sins ignited a sensation when it first appeared nearly thirty years ago. Selling more than three million copies, it resided for fifty-two weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and launched Andrew M. Greeley's career as one of America's most popular storytellers. Today, this powerful saga of ambition, temptation, and love both spiritual and carnal, remains as timely and provocative as ever. Spanning decades, The Cardinal Sins tells the story of two close friends whose pursuit of God sends them down separate paths, and of the spirited, independent women who love them in profoundly different ways. Kevin Brennan and Patrick Donahue enter the seminary together, but their lives soon diverge dramatically. Intellectual and independent, Kevin often finds himself at odds with his superiors in the Church. And his unwavering principles threaten to cut him off from those closest to him- including the former sweetheart he has never forgotten. By contrast, Patrick rises steadily through the Church hierarchy, only to fall prey to the temptations of lust and power. As his inner demons, and hidden scandals, threaten to destroy the lives of everyone around him, it's up to his oldest friend to save him from himself-and foil a conspiracy that could change the very future of the Papacy!