Catholic Lives, Contemporary America

What does it mean to be - or to have been raised - Catholic in America today, now that formally non-practising Catholics outnumber the memberships of any other single denomination? Catholic Lives, Contemporary America is a collection of informed and spirited essays focusing on Catholic lay practices not commonly recognised or, at times, officially sanctioned. The collection includes essays by novelist Mary Gordon on the sexual appeal of Bing Crosby's Father Chuck O'Malley character, Robert A. Orsi on the "sanctified cripple," Andrew Sullivan on homosexuality and piety, and interviews with the self-proclaimed "pornographic nun," Camille Paglia, and the "ancient Catholic," Richard Rodriguez. It also features a piece by Frank Lentricchia on aesthetics in a monastery, a Patrick Allitt reflection on the Catholic presence among conservative intellectuals, and a memoir by Stanley Hauerwas on his experiences as a non-Catholic teacher of theology at Notre Dame. These formidable scholars and writers - each of whom have come of age after the Second Vatican Council and who make their living outside the Catholic academy - make it clear that being Catholic is not simply a matter of going to confession or attending mass. Their explorations reveal, challenge, and contribute to Catholicism - remaking of cultural identity in the United States. Edited with an introduction by Thomas J. Ferraro, Catholic Lives, Contemporary America offers a banquet of essays and interviews, at once subtle and accessible, treating American Catholic lives and legacies with compassion and flair. Contributors: Patrick Allitt, Paul Crowley, Thomas J. Ferraro, James T. Fisher, Paul Giles, Mary Gordon, Stanley Hauerwas, Frank Lentricchia, Robert A. Orsi, Camille Paglia, David Plante, Richard Rodriguez, Kathy Rudy, Andrew Sullivan, and Mary Jo Weaver.