I Was Gone Long Before I Left

“Peter Wilcox examines the painful life decision of leaving priesthood after twenty-five years, during a time of turmoil in the monastery, the Catholic Church, and the country. The author, a spiritual director and psychotherapist, turns his therapeutic skills inward and reflects on his anger, fear, and loneliness. His transparency and empathy can guide readers to look creatively at their past life decisions and learn to create a healthier future.”


—Mike Buckley, adult educator and educational sales representative





“Mark Twain said, ‘The two most important days in your life are: the day you were born and the day you discovered why.’ This discovery is every person’s challenge—if one accepts it. Peter offers us an example, sharing a unique and honest self-disclosure of his life’s journey into this discovery, a sojourn that is never complete until our last breath. Readers may glean spiritual and psychological insights into their own quest to find their true selves.”


—Dennis S. Dolasinski, a brother pilgrim





“Peter Wilcox’s book is an amazing and honest embrace of a courageous and inspiring journey from teenage years through seminary training and priesthood—to a second journey and significant change in life’s direction. . . . This is a book for you if you have ever been ‘gone before you left’ : a lifestyle, a career, a profession, a vocation, or a job. Or if you are thinking about this.”


—Lillian K. Gibbons, retired public health professional