Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This courageous expose depicts a Roman Catholic Church in trouble. Priests are leaving; grace seems to be in short supply. The root causes include the church's habit of putting its own survival first, to the detriment of those dedicated to serving it. The reality of Christ, the author argues, is being sacrificed to the outward forms of legalism and clericalism by the Vatican, which mouths rubrics of intimidation that alienate and frighten many religious workers. Rice, himself a former Dominican who left the priesthood to marry, discusses this ``Unmentionable Topic,'' an option taking by an increasing number of priests and nuns. Compulsory celibacy is so obviously a system of power and control over others that one wonders how it has lasted so long; the author suggests reasons why it has and provides powerful testimony that it should not. He cannot be commended enough for his brilliant study.-- Carol J. Lichtenberg, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

The problems of one-time Roman Catholic priests--an estimated 80,000-100,000 have left the worldwide institutional ministry in the last 20 years--are addressed in these personal stories assembled by a former Dominican priest. Traveling to many parts of the world, Rice, who is married and lives in Dublin, spoke with priests who have resigned from the ministry; he also talked with the wives and children of those who have married. Their reflections, most centering around the issue of celibacy, are generally characterized by a sense of loss and regret that pursuit of a vocation can be derailed by a legalistic church bureaucracy. Many of the priests interviewed are involved in lay ministries; others work outside formal church structures. Rice presents a reasonable advocacy for a married clergy in the light of the dwindling numbers of priests throughout the world. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Booklist Review

Rice, a former priest, now married, offers one of the most honest, probing studies to date on why the Roman Catholic church is losing priests and prospective priests at an alarming rate. He discloses the church's most closely guarded and embarrassing secrets, thus confirming public rumors and reports about the legions of priests who conduct illicit love affairs and/or marry despite vows of chastity, become alcoholics, commit suicide, and otherwise go against church doctrine. Above all, the author puts a human face on these sensational facts and statistics through his interviews--many recounted in part here--with more than 500 priests and former priests around the world. Courageous in its candor, this eye-opening examination is the first real attempt to put into perspective the momentous changes facing the practice of Catholicism. Notes and bibliography; to be indexed. ~--Mary Banas