A Priest Forever: The Life of Eugene Hamilton [Paperback]

Benedict J. Groeschel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1998

This is the true story of Eugene Hamilton, a young man who dreamed of becoming a priest; a young man stricked with terminal cancer as his life was just beginning; a man who was ordained, by papal dispensation, just hours before he died.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (IN) (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879739444
• ISBN-13: 978-0879739447
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 5.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #895,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Clergy > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy and Sad at the Same Time, October 1, 1999

By 

Steven Fantina (Phillipsburg, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Priest Forever: The Life of Eugene Hamilton (Paperback)

When Mother Teresa passed away, it was obvious to anyone with even a pea-sized brain that she was ready. Her lifetime of good work and unwavering devotion to God through bold acts of faith had inspired the world for decades. There was very little sadness when she went home to a richly deserved reward.

In A Priest Forever, we meet another individual who was thoroughly prepared to meet God. Unfortunately, there is great sadness in the life of Father Eugene Hamilton because his time on earth was so short and the promise of all the good work he could have done will never be fulfilled.

From an early age, Gene Hamilton showed a maturity, grace, and reverent nature beyond his years. The tale offers no surprise by his decision to enter a seminary. Heartache awaits the reader as Gene is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and we witness his heroic battle to live and follow his dream of being ordained. When the facts obviously point to his not lasting long enough to complete priestly training, the Vatican responds to his seminary's and Cardinal O'Connor's request granting a rare dispensation allowing early ordination.

Just days before this speeded up sacrament is to be bestowed upon him, Gene takes a major turn for the worse. Due to the quick thinking and actions of his brother and the bishop at his seminary, an impromptu ceremony was held on Gene's deathbed in his living room just three hours before his earthly existence ended. Catholics belief in the permanence of ordination so the title is apt. knowing that Father Eugene Hamilton-who never even donned priestly vestments in this life-is indeed a priest forever.

As sad as the story is-knowing that he could not live out the dreams of his priesthood, seeing the family and loved ones left behind after the loss of this extraordinary 25 year old, and learning the pain that perdured throughout his final months-there is nonetheless a powerfully upliftng result from reading this book.

His life will never be as well known as Mother Teresa, and he did not have the opportunity to touch nearly as many people, but in his brief quarter-century he set a brave example and was completely ready to meet God.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for seminarians!, December 2, 2000

By 

W C Franco (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Priest Forever: The Life of Eugene Hamilton (Paperback)

God bless Fr. Eugene Hamilton! I, being a seminarian, could not have found a better time to read the life of this saintly young man than now while I'm undergoing my Pastoral Year. In two years, I hope to be ordained a Priest for service in Miami, Florida. I happen to remember Gene vaguely as we grew up in our hometown Haverstraw, NY. I remember him as a young little boy serving mass at St. Peter's. I played and sang the guitar Mass at the parish.

The book was very inspiring to me as a future priest. Gene's love for the faith and the Church inspired and rekindled my somewhat dry faith (a strange phenomena that happens to us seminarians as we undergo formation). Gene's spiritual life, commitment to celibacy, love for the liturgy, friendships, all helped to mold my own life and viewpoints. I highly recommend this book to all of us seminarians who need a spark, a ray of hope during those bleak dark nights that we seminarians undergo. Groeschel's book about Fr. Gene inspires us to continue on our call and strive for holiness in the priesthood. I couldn't help but cry when I read the section on how Gene died...such a holy death! I plan on visiting my hometown (my dad still lives there) and pay a visit to his grave.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enormously blessed!!, July 18, 1999

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Priest Forever: The Life of Eugene Hamilton (Paperback)

An extraordinary book masterfully written by Fr Benedict Groeschel. A book that touched my very soul. A book that every human being, including every priest, would do well to read. God is so good to have given us Fr Eugene Hamilton who taught us through Fr Benedict Groeschel how to carry our cross with Jesus. I can only pray to do as well. And, Fr Eugene's family? Incredible faith. What an example for all of us. Thank you God for the blessings and thank you Fr Benedict for this wonderful work. By the way, I have purchased several books that are now circulating with priests and lay people. I plan to keep them moving.