Follies of a Navy Chaplain

Connell Joseph Maguire — Father Joe to those who knew him — was born in Glenties, Ireland. He came to America when he was 11 and grew up in Philadelphia. He became a priest in 1945 and joined the Navy as a chaplain in 1952. He served in many parts of the world, including Korea and Vietnam with the U.S. Marines. After retiring following a 30-year career with the Navy, he began studying Spanish to he could preach to the Guatemalan parishioners in Indiantown, Florida. His comments on science and religion have appeared more than once in the New York Times. Once an aspiring playwright, he was also a member of the Dramatists Guild.

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