The Faithful : A History of Catholics in America

shaken By The Ongoing Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandal, And Challenged From Within By Social And Theological Division, Catholics In America Are At A Crossroads. But Is Today's Situation Unique? And Where Will Catholicism Go From Here? With The Belief That We Understand Our Present By Studying Our Past, James O'toole Offers A Bold And Panoramic History Of The American Catholic Laity. O'toole Tells The Story Of This Ancient Church From The Perspective Of Ordinary Americans, The Lay Believers Who Have Kept Their Faith Despite Persecution From Without And Clergy Abuse From Within. It Is An Epic Tale, From The First Settlements Of Catholics In The Colonies To The Turmoil Of The Scandal-ridden Present, And Through The Church's Many American Incarnations In Between. We See Catholics' Complex Relationship To Rome And To Their Own American Nation. O'toole Brings To Life Both The Grand Sweep Of Institutional Change And The Daily Practice That Sustained Believers. the Faithful Pays Particular Attention To The Intricacies Of Prayer And Ritual-the Ways Men And Women Have Found To Express Their Faith As Catholics Over The Centuries. With An Intimate Knowledge Of The Dilemmas And Hopes Of Today's Church, O'toole Presents A New Vision And Offers A Glimpse Into The Possible Future Of The Church And Its Parishioners. Moving Past The Pulpit And Into The Pews, the Faithful Is An Unmatched Look At The American Catholic Laity. Today's Catholics Will Find Much To Educate And Inspire Them In These Pages, And Non-catholics Will Gain A Newfound Understanding Of Their Religious Brethren. publishers Weekly recent Studies Of The Roman Catholic Church In America Have Brought Into Focus The Emergence Of Catholics Into Mainstream Culture And The Colorful Particularities Of The Faith In Various Parish Neighborhoods. O'toole, A Historian At Boston College, Follows This Trend Of Telling The Story From Below, But Begins His Narrative From The Birth Of The Nation In The 1770s. For Many, The Biggest Revelation In The Book Will Be O'toole's Designation Of The Colonial Church As Priestless. While That Was Not Entirely The Case-a Handful Of Priests Did Serve The Small Number Of Catholics Who Had Settled Here-many Did Not See A Priest More Than Once A Year. As Catholics Today Are Aware, The Church Currently Faces A Similar Priest Shortage. For Readers Who Are Familiar With The Church, The Primary Joy Of This Book Will Be Found In Checking Their Own Experiences Against Those Described By O'toole. Still, The Genial Style Of Writing Together With A Plentiful Amount Of Fascinating Tidbits Will Keep All But The Most Jaded Expert Going. (apr.) copyright © Reed Business Information, A Division Of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Shaken by the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal, and challenged from within by social and theological division, Catholics in America are at a crossroads. But is today s situation unique? And where will Catholicism go from here? With the belief that we understand our present by studying our past, James O Toole offers a bold and panoramic history of the American Catholic laity.

O Toole tells the story of this ancient church from the perspective of ordinary Americans, the lay believers who have kept their faith despite persecution from without and clergy abuse from within. It is an epic tale, from the first settlements of Catholics in the colonies to the turmoil of the scandal-ridden present, and through the church s many American incarnations in between. We see Catholics complex relationship to Rome and to their own American nation. O Toole brings to life both the grand sweep of institutional change and the daily practice that sustained believers. The Faithful pays particular attention to the intricacies of prayer and ritual the ways men and women have found to express their faith as Catholics over the centuries.

With an intimate knowledge of the dilemmas and hopes of today s church, O Toole presents a new vision and offers a glimpse into the possible future of the church and its parishioners. Moving past the pulpit and into the pews, The Faithful is an unmatched look at the American Catholic laity. Today s Catholics will find much to educate and inspire them in these pages, and non-Catholics will gain a newfound understanding of their religious brethren.

Publishers Weekly

Recent studies of the Roman Catholic Church in America have brought into focus the emergence of Catholics into mainstream culture and the colorful particularities of the faith in various parish neighborhoods. O'Toole, a historian at Boston College, follows this trend of telling the story from below, but begins his narrative from the birth of the nation in the 1770s. For many, the biggest revelation in the book will be O'Toole's designation of the colonial church as priestless. While that was not entirely the case-a handful of priests did serve the small number of Catholics who had settled here-many did not see a priest more than once a year. As Catholics today are aware, the church currently faces a similar priest shortage. For readers who are familiar with the church, the primary joy of this book will be found in checking their own experiences against those described by O'Toole. Still, the genial style of writing together with a plentiful amount of fascinating tidbits will keep all but the most jaded expert going. (Apr.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Publisher: Shaken by the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal, and challenged from within by social and theological division, Catholics in America are at a crossroads. But is today's situation unique? And where will Catholicism go from here? With the belief that we understand our present by studying our past, James O'Toole offers a bold and panoramic history of the American Catholic laity. O'Toole tells the story of this ancient church from the perspective of ordinary Americans, the lay believers who have kept their faith despite persecution from without and clergy abuse from within. It is an epic tale, from the first settlements of Catholics in the colonies to the turmoil of the scandal-ridden present, and through the church's many American incarnations in between. We see Catholics' complex relationship to Rome and to their own American nation. O'Toole brings to life both the grand sweep of institutional change and the daily practice that sustained believers. The Faithful pays particular attention to the intricacies of prayer and ritual-the ways men and women have found to express their faith as Catholics over the centuries. With an intimate knowledge of the dilemmas and hopes of today's church, O'Toole presents a new vision and offers a glimpse into the possible future of the church and its parishioners. Moving past the pulpit and into the pews, The Faithful is an unmatched look at the American Catholic laity. Today's Catholics will find much to educate and inspire them in these pages, and non-Catholics will gain a newfound understanding of their religious brethren. Shaken by the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal, and challenged from within by social and theological division, American Catholics are at a crossroads. O’Toole tells the story of this ancient church from the perspective of ordinary people, the lay believers who have kept their faith despite persecution from without and clergy abuse from within. Introduction 1: Priestless church 2: Church in the Democratic Republic 3: Immigrant church 4: Church of Catholic action 5: Church of Vatican II 6: Church in the twenty-first century Notes Acknowledgments Index.