Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful Is Changing the Church

by Tricia C. Bruce

In January 2002, reeling from a growing awareness of child sexual abuse within their church, a small group of Catholics gathered after Mass in the basement of a parish in Wellesley, Massachusetts to mourn and react. They began to mobilize around supporting victims of abuse, supporting non-abusive priests, and advocating for structural change in the Catholic Church so that abuse would no longer occur. Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) built a movement by harnessing the faith and fury of a nation of Catholics shocked by reports of abuse and institutional complicity. Tricia Colleen Bruce offers an in-depth look at the development of Voice of the Faithful, showing their struggle to challenge Church leaders and advocate for internal change while being accepted as legitimately Catholic. Guided by the stories of individual participants, Faithful Revolution brings to light the intense identity negotiations that accompany a challenge to one's own religion and offers a meaningful way to learn
about Catholic identity, intrainstitutional social movements, and the complexity of institutional structures.

226 pages, Hardcover

First published March 22, 2011

About the author

Tricia Bruce is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Maryville College. Her areas of focus are sociology of religion, social movements, and social theory. She holds undergraduate degrees in sociology and communication from Southwestern University in Texas and a PhD in sociology from the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). She was previously a Research Assistant Professor at Georgetown University at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful is Changing the Church is her first book. Additional information about the book is available at http://www.faithfulrevolution.com and additional information about her research and teaching is available at http://www.triciabruce.com. She enjoys singing as well as yoga and hiking. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and cocker spaniel."

Reviews

[Marylee Raymond Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

So it's sociologiocal, it's still a solid read about a social movement within the Catholic Church.

[A.campanellaverizon.net · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tricia Bruce did an excellent job with a difficult subject.