Biography of the Author
Patrick Crowe
A synopsis of my memoir
This is the story of my amazing life, both it’s earthly and spiritual aspects; the remarkable business deals; the strong effect of the power of prayer coupled with God’s loving compassion and forgiveness He has showed me.
In my memoir I tell of how I became an entrepreneur starting with nothing and soon buying real estate, later businesses, and how walking in the path of prayer and peace can accomplish so much.
As an only child I survived an early childhood of alcoholic parents and became their caretaker. Since the sixth grade I wanted to become a priest. Due to family economic necessity I had to drop out of college and go into business equipped with my father’s endless stories about business and his failed dreams about owning his own business. With my resiliency, a lot of confidence, and no capital. I became an entrepreneur, first with an antique auction business, then moving on to real estate becoming a New York City slumlord who was held up at gun point, later was kidnapped and subsequently became personally acquainted with serious organized crime figures. While in business I remained involved with the Church.
I developed a close circle of prominent priest friends. In exploring my sexuality with women, I literally encountered the devil twice and came away with stronger faith. I was investigated by federal authorities and went to prison for nine months, all before I reached the age of thirty. After prison I tried to fashion a main street life with a wife, two sons, a large house in suburbia and a money losing hundred million dollar portfolio of real estate. I would go on to battle financial instability; flawed choices in life partners driven by sexual desire, and learning first hand that if you piss off a federal bureaucrat they can be vicious and with their great power they possess they can find ways in which to put me in federal prison again.
Through out my life, I felt the hand of God reaching out to me, picking me up when I needed it most and the Holy Spirit giving me at times both great joy and reassurance. Through the power of prayer, improbable business deals happened. When I was in physical danger, armed with only prayer, I remained unharmed. While incarcerated several times I was able to turn that experience into my missionary time, where I taught and spread the faith and gave comfort to others.
During my incarceration was when I gave myself to fulfill my calling to serve God, the calling which I first received in my youth. Several times in my life I felt the touch of God when rapture enveloped me giving me a taste of eternal life. Although life had been difficult at times and had many disappointments, I would never let that affect my relationship with God. With all of my short comings and failures, God never abandoned me.
I was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, graduated from St. Joseph High School and attended Fairfield University. After my parents moved to Florida I moved to New York City. I have remained a practicing Catholic all my life. I have two adult sons and two grandchildren I currently live alone in Roanoke, Virginia.
Book Overview
The Truth Will Set Me Free I am Patrick Crowe, the author of the book yet to be published, personal memoir entitled “The Truth Will Set Me Free”. The purpose of this web site is to share a synopsis of my memoir and how I get inspired in writing it.
One day several years ago during a difficult time in my life. I was praying the rosary. At the end of the rosary I would always ask Saint Ignatius Loyola for his payers and guidance. That day in my heart I heard Saint Ignatius answer me with the words “Write the story of your life”. That evening I started an outline of the major parts of my life, but I had one nagging question. What do I include and what do I exclude, as there were many ups and downs in my life, including some things which I was not especially proud of. The next morning, I was again doing my rosary again as I finished the rosary I asked Saint Ignatius that nagging question. Again in my heart I heard very clearly his one word reply “everything”.
I made a commitment to God to tell my story, openly and honestly. This would cause me to have to look within myself and struggle to understand some aspects of my life. As I worked on self reflection and self discovery, dealing with some events I am not to proud of, but sharing it all, in truth as I remember it and experienced it.
One of my major concerns is that I do a good enough job in writing about my spiritual experience and the great love that God has always showed me so that you the reader can truly feel and understand all that I have experienced, Since I believe that God has directed me to write this, I prayed that He will be inspiring as to what I write.
This memoir is about my amazing life, both the earthly and spiritual aspects of it. The remarkable business deals which happened and the strong effect of the power of prayer. I want to share with you how I started as an entrepreneur at a very early age with no capital, how I started buying real estate and later businesses while always walking the path of peace and prayer until I would be side tracked leading to disastrous results. I will share with you how failure does not end being an entrepreneur but only served as a learning experience, from which I picked myself off, dusted myself off and started all over again. It was Winston Churchill who said “success is going from failure to failure without ever losing your enthusiasm”
While interesting, the secular aspect of my life pales compared to the spiritual events. I always blessed with the gift of faith so believing in God with my heart and soul came easily.
In 1975 with the canonization of Saint Seton, when at a special mass I questioned her sainthood, my body violently trembled and was then enveloped in rapture. My encounter with the devil, when he over took my girlfriend for 72 hours offering me all kinds of gifts. When in federal prison I instructed men in the faith and as they first received the Holy Eucharist on Easter Eve as I followed them in line and when I took communion I went again into rapture. I twice heard the voice of God answering my prayers along with countless other prayers through out my life.
I chose the title of my memoir “The Truth Will Set Me Free” from a line in the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, Verse 32. I chose this line from scripture as I thought by writing my memoir, it would set me free from prison, which it did by taking my mind away from where I was back to where I had been. My memoir would show everyone in my life so there would be nothing to hide. It would free me from old relationships and best of all it would free me from my fear of unreservingly following what God might want me to do. This is my story, the story that Saint Ignatius prompted me to write. This is my seven story mountain I assure you that it is written from the heart.
Update On The Status Of My Memoir
My memoir is finished what I need Now is to have the memoir properly edited and then have the memoir published.
The New York Times best selling author, David Compton, has read my manuscript and thinks he has great potential. David has agreed to edit my memoir and help me find an agent or publisher for my memoir. His fee is $9000. For which I have setup a crowd funding page at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-story-of-resilience-and-hope#/ to help raise some money for his fee. If you can help fund the editing process, I would greatly appreciated.
Anyone who makes donation, I will include in prayers.
Donation for $25 and above will receive a digital edition of my memoir.
Donation in excess of $100 will received the above plus a hard cover edition of my memoir.
Donation in excess of $250 will receive the above plus a personal phone call with me.
Donation in excess of $1000 will receive all of the above and I will make myself available to address their group.