This is one of the most beautiful memoirs I have ever read. The author shares a journey of the soul, the joys, the wonders, the pains and disappointments -- in other words, the good , the bad and the ugly of human existence, and the grace of finding inner peace in the midst of changes and upheavals. Would that everyone should experience that miracle! ( )

That Undeniable Longing: My Road to and from the Priesthood by Mark Tedesco
Deep thoughtful book of how one becomes an ordained priest. Have grown up in the younger years attending Catholic school til high school days where the whole family of 5 switched to public schooling due to costs of uniforms for all.
Our local town has a Novitiate and churches and a nunnery at one time, seminary school, etc. Never though of the process that Mark and Marcus took over the years to become ordained.
Lots of new travel to me to Rome and other foreign countries. Love hearing of all the places, famous and some quiet peaceful settings. Think I could people watch for months in these locations.
Describes in detail all the young men go through in daily life and when they return back to the states for a summer break to return to Rome again.
So fascinating to me because of things I learned. Very descriptive at times I feel as if I was there. Wicked honesty.
Bit shocked on how things turn out at the very end but as long as he's happy is the important thing.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion. ( )

The author's journey to becoming a Roman Catholic priest and then his withdrawal from that role because he was unable to reconcile that with being a gay man.

Much more about the journey to than the journey from. It was interesting but it was written in a curiously detached style so that although strong emotions were talked about they weren't really conveyed. Having said that, I would still recommend it to anyone interested in the topic of gays and religion. ( )

This book tells the life of a Priest. A life filled with Latin, filled with lambs, filled with G-d. It is a life of celibacy, of poverty, of charity. It is a life filled with listening to the woes of the people, their sins, and giving the forgiveness through Jesus Christ, The Lord. This is the life of a man who has dedicated himself to G-d and the church, to the people, to His flock. After nearly 8 plus years, countless hours of prayer, devotion, and spiritual struggle. After a four-year degree, a post-graduate degree, many sleepless nights filled with fear and dread. This is a Priest. This is the life of a Priest. This is the life of a Gay Priest!

As a Priest-to-be, Mark struggled with not only his family and his faith, but also with his life as a closeted gay man. In his book That Undeniable Longing: My Road to AND from THE Priesthood, Mark Tedesco recounts his life, well roughly ten years of his life, of going from faithful Catholic parishioner to being a full-fledge Catholic Priest... and then back to being a "normal" Joe.

This book captivates the reader from page one when he wonders if questioning life and your past is a side-effect of being middle-aged. "How did I arrive at this point? Could I ever have imagined, long ago on a winter day in Rome, that I would find myself on this new path, my dreams not shattered, but transformed. And that elusive, relentless desire, for happiness - where is it leading me?" He sparks our imagination, at least those of us who are 30-something and older, of the days gone by. He makes us think about our past, and if we would have done anything differently. He makes us think about the lessons, the little "-isms" we have learned and discovered.

The life of a Priest is hard, as we learn. It is a life filled with monotony, with repetitiveness, and without much spontaneity. It is a life filled with being the moral grounding of a faith that is large and far reaching. To influence the lives of others is a path that many are not willing to take. Young Mark discovers this and so much more on his little journey known as the priesthood. From being an oblate in a monastery in the hills of Italy, to being kicked out, and then once again accepted by another seminary, Mark's adventure both captivates and invigorates you in addition to upsetting and angering you. In light of all the controversy surrounding Priests and sexual abuse, it is no wonder that a gay man not only questions his faith in the Church, but also in himself and his relationship with the Almighty above. The journey of understanding is not an easy one, which those who have had time to live a little bit more on this planet know all to well. The life of a gay man, and the struggle to not only accept yourself, but to reject others non-acceptance is also a journey filled with fears, tears and personal struggle. To go through both is killer, but one journey "Father Mark" accomplished. ( )