Is he just lonely?

I know Father McNamee personally. He is a very intelligent, energetic and handsome man with great charisma, who could have chosen to do anything with his life, yet he chose to sacrifice his own personal desires to serve God and the people who need the most: the poor who lived in and around the projects in North Philly. Just to give an idea of this man's charisma, people (my wife was one of those people) drive from the suburbs to North Philly on Sunday mornings, despite the hundreds of violent deaths that take place.

Father McNamee, no doubt had/has an appreciation for the finer things in life... art, music, food, literature, poetry, and yes, even beautiful women, but he did not give in to temptation. He remained totally devoted to God and his Church for almost five decades as priest, pastor, community activist, whose church was a house of hospitality open to everyone, of every faith or lack of faith. In addition, he published 4 books: two works each of prose and poetry.

In the early 80s at a time when the Philadelphia Archdiocese was closing schools in Philadelphia for financial reasons, in order to save his parish, Saint Malachys, Father McNamee who said, “It’s important that the Church stay here, close to all that need,” separated from the Archdiocese which meant he was on his own financially. He alone had to keep the church and school running with no financial assistance, in addition to ministering to the needs of the poor, 24/7.

Fr. Mac retired last year (I think), and both the school and church are still thriving with a strong enough financial base that it needs to continue, independent of archdiocesan funding. Although, he knows, as he said, "whether this work survives us or doesn’t is completely out of our hands." And considering the area went from approximately 75 priests in 35 parishes, to 2 priest in less than 50 years, it appears to be an uphill battle all the way, but Fr. Mac did find a very good priest to replace him.

I wouldn't be surprised if he were made a Saint. However, he's still fully human with the same needs, desires and "weaknesses" which must conflict greatly with his mission. I believe his life's work sharply contradicted his nature which of course makes the task much harder, and requires even more strength to remain faithful.

So, I believe the crisis he experienced was unavoidable. One of the ways he dealt with it was to write a book, exploring the darkness and the struggle he endured, that eventually became this movie.

imho, Probably a combination of all of the above, and add in overworked, the depressing surroundings, the burden of a hell of a lot of responsibility... It's really hard to say considering there aren't many people to draw comparison. He's one of a kind.