Being Catholic Now: Prominent Americans Talk about Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning

For Kerry Kennedy, who grew up in a devoutly Catholic household coping with great loss, her family's faith was a constant source of strength and solace. As an adult, she came to question some of the attitudes and teachings of the Catholic Church while remaining an impassioned believer in its role as a defender of the poor and oppressed. "Generations ago, the search for spirituality came predefined and prepackaged. [The Church] not only gave us all the answers, it even gave us the questions to ask." Now many of the old certainties are being reexamined. In an attempt to convey this sea change, Kennedy asked thirty-seven American Catholics to speak candidly about their own faith--whether lost, recovered, or deepened--and about their feelings regarding the Church hierarchy. The voices included here range from respectful to reproachful and from appreciative to angry; all have an illuminating insight or perspective.--From publisher description.… (more)