Conservative Catholicism and the Carmelites: Identity, Ethnicity, and Tradition in the Modern Church

Rating:
Summary: Conservative Catholicism and the Carmelites
Review: Caterine (Dartmouth College) has written a brilliant and insightful study of ethnic identity and the powerful forces of change in the American Catholic Church. The author has grounded his study in firsthand ethnographic fieldwork among borderland and diasporic Catholics of Mexican, Cuban, and Filipino origins. The appeal of the Carmelite order to these ethnic groups and to other Catholics throughout the United States is a reaction to the failure of modernist forces that threaten to dissolve Catholicism into Anglo-Protestant culture. Caterine designates the Carmelites' theological and political worldview as "neotraditionalist." The Mexican, Filipino, and Latino parishes to which the Carmelites' neotraditionalism appeals are all resisting assimilation into Anglo-Protestant culture. This volume calls into question the notion that the American Catholic Church is evolving in a unilinear direction of democratization and Protestantism. Neotraditionalist Catholicism is a thriving alternative in some quarters and has gained a foothold in the evolution of numerous disenfranchised ethnic groups who find comfort in older forms of Catholicism. This book is very well written, organized, and conceived. It will appeal to a broad readership, particularly to anyone interested in the relationship between religion and identity.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: I agree with the other reviewers that this is a very interesting study, and certainly original in concept.The main issue of conservative/liberal factions, influence, power, and papal use of Mother Luisa to further its own agenda was well presented.I had a few problems with the book, however.Perhaps this is quibbeling, but it is, afterall, presented as a work of scholarship.First, the author was poorly served in the copy editing.In the intro, there is reference to Pope John VI and Pope John II.While it was obvious what the actual names should have been, still when I see mistakes like this, I worry that other information has been presented incorrectly.Also,he refers to Camillo Macisse as a Vatican hagiographer.He was, at the time of publication, in fact, the general of the Discalced Carmelites.Also,I found it extremely discombobulating that the author continually referred to the Carmelites of the Most Sacred Heart as "the carmelites."While a fine group of folks, this is one very small group, a congregation (does the author understand the difference?). There are thousands of other Carmelites, some VERY liberal, some VERY conservative.Finally, the alhambra carmelites were founded from St. Louis and Mother Baptista from Ireland in 1913 (I think). They are the cloistered Carmelites.The carmelites the author wrote about are active sisters. They are not in any way cloistered, except in a sense of conservative lifestyle. But this is supposed to be scholarship! Use the words correctly! Otherwise, a very very interesting book.

Rating:
Summary: Smart & Well Argued.
Review: If you're going to read only one book on Catholicism and the Carmelites, make it this one! CC&C is well researched, well argued and is knowledge well worth the price of admission on a topic few have explored in such detail. Add this book to your must read canon now!