Peter de Rosa

Peter Clement de Rosa (12 November 1932 – 4 November 2024) was a British author, theologian and former Roman Catholic priest. He wrote the semi-autobiographical Bless Me, Father series of comic novels under the pen name Neil Boyd, and adapted them into the ITV television sitcom of the same name. He later wrote works on religion and history under his own name, including Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the Papacy and Rebels: The Irish Rising of 1916 (1990).

Early life and priesthood De Rosa was born in London in 1932. He graduated from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and taught metaphysics and ethics at Westminster Seminary in London before becoming dean of theology at Corpus Christi College in London.

De Rosa wrote on Christian theology while still a priest. His early works included Communion of the Sick (1964), Christ in Our World (1966), Christ and Original Sin (1967) and God Our Saviour (1968).

In 1970, de Rosa left the priesthood. He subsequently worked in London as a staff producer for the BBC.

The books were adapted as the television sitcom Bless Me, Father, produced for ITV. De Rosa wrote all 21 episodes, which were broadcast in three series from 1978 to 1981. Arthur Lowe played Father Duddleswell and Daniel Abineri played Father Neil Boyd.

De Rosa continued writing on Christianity and the Catholic Church under his own name. His Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the Papacy, published in 1988, presented a critical history of the papacy and Catholic teaching and government. His later works included the novel Pope Patrick, a satire about an Irish cardinal elected pope.

In 1993, de Rosa collaborated with Annie Murphy on Forbidden Fruit: The True Story of My Secret Love for Eamonn Casey, the Bishop of Galway, Murphy's account of her relationship with Irish Catholic bishop Eamonn Casey and the birth of their son. The relationship became one of the most prominent scandals involving the Irish Catholic Church after it became public in 1992.

Personal life and death De Rosa married Mary Hennelly and they had two sons, Francis and Daniel. The family lived for many years in Ashford, County Wicklow, Ireland. Mary de Rosa died in 2005.

Selected bibliography As Peter de Rosa

Communion of the Sick (Pastoral Publications, 1964) with Hubert J. Richards, Christ in Our World: A Study of Baptism, Eucharist, Penance and Marriage (Geoffrey Chapman, 1966; ) Christ and Original Sin (Geoffrey Chapman, 1967) God Our Saviour: A Study of the Atonement (Geoffrey Chapman, 1968) Jesus Who Became Christ (Collins, 1975; ) Come Holy Spirit: The Life of God in the Life of Men (Fontana, 1975; ) A Bible Prayer-book for Today (Fontana, 1976; ) Prayers for Pagans and Hypocrites (Collins, 1977; ) Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the Papacy (Bantam, 1988; ) Rebels: The Irish Rising of 1916 (Bantam, 1990; ) with Annie Murphy, Forbidden Fruit: The True Story of My Secret Love for Eamonn Casey, the Bishop of Galway (Little, Brown and Company, 1993; ) Pope Patrick (Poolbeg, 1995; )

As Neil Boyd

Bless Me, Father (Robert Hale, 1977; ) A Father Before Christmas (Michael Joseph, 1978; ) Father in a Fix (Michael Joseph, 1979; ) Father Under Fire (Michael Joseph, 1980; ) Bless Me Again, Father (Michael Joseph, 1981; ) Father Neil's Monkeyshines (Open Road Integrated Media, 2019; )