James Kavanaugh dead at 81

Author of the best-selling book, “A Modern Priest Looks at His Outdated Church.” James Kavenaugh died Dec. 29 at the age of 81. His subsequent books of poetry touched the lives of millions.

The cause of death was complications from surgery Kavanaugh underwent earlier last year, said Katherine Markel, his stepdaughter.

Kavanaugh attended school in Kalamazoo and at the age of 14 went to seminary in Grand Rapids. After serving as a priest in Flint he rose to fame after he wrote an article for the Saturday Evening Post in 1967 entitled “I am a Priest, and I Want to Marry.”