We all belong to groups, whether we were born into them or have chosen to join them due to prevailing similarities or common interests. Being a part of certain groups can be the essence of our identity, and it can be devastating to lose that feeling of connection with our group members or leaders. Catherine Brunell, a young Catholic wife and mother, has struggled with this dilemma; and while she may no longer have the absolute faith she did as a nun-adoring child, she has developed an adult faith that reconciles any differences. Brunell helps Catholics move from a childhood faith to an authentic adult faith in Becoming Catholic, Again.
In the style of a personal narrative, Brunell examines how to maintain an authentic spiritual life and a connection to the Church in a postmodern world. She thinks back to an Ash Wednesday when her father rubbed cigarette ashes into the Sign of the Cross onto his forehead instead of attending Mass. Although in shock at his nonchalance at the time, she is encouraged by his ability to find the middle ground between the pressures of everyday life and his mother's unyielding religious expectations. In her father's compromise, she finds comfort in holding onto her own faith while waiting for the realization of her spiritual path in moments of discernment.
Brunell invites us to find solace in her story—and to realize that faith can be approached as a route to personal discovery that can lead to spiritual growth.