The Rise, Fall and Future of Catholicism in the U.S.

Russell Shaw has written a new book:  American Church  The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America


The history of the Catholic Church in America is fascinating and one I want to learn more about.  Shaw talks a bit about this history and the importance for American Catholics today here in Catholic World Report. 

Snip:

"CWR: What is the "Americanization of American Catholicism"? What have been its fruits over the past few decades?


Shaw: The expression refers to the process of cultural assimilation by which American Catholics entered the mainstream of American secular culture, became part of it, and bought into many of its values and attitudes. On the plus side, the result has been acceptance, upward socio-economic mobility, and much professional and material success.

But it has come at a high price. Buying into American secular values has time and again meant buying into a toxic value system in radical conflict with Catholic and Christian convictions on many fronts. And that has meant an ongoing loss of religious identity and commitment to the Church on the part of millions of nominal Catholics—to say nothing of the 22 million ex-Catholics in the United States."