"James Carroll weaves together the story of how his Irish mother inspired little Jimmy to believe in the Church, despite his young doubts, with the story of how the Catholic Church evolved in history to become an institution that places dominance and power in an all-male clergy. Carroll argues that clericalism is both the root cause and the ongoing enabler of the present Catholic crisis, and compromises the ability of Pope Francis to create change...

"At the crest of volatile years of experimentation, a new rite of Mass was introduced in 1969--no mere cosmetic treatment but a radical reconstruction of the Church's central act of worship. A minority of the faithful continued to hold fast to the traditional rite, which John Paul II and Benedict XVI gradually freed from restrictions. The steady growth of this "traditionalist" movement inevitably prompts questions in the minds of more and more people....

"Elisabeth Sifton books."