Now Available: “Christ’s Body, Christ’s Wounds: Staying Catholic When You’ve Been Hurt in the Church”

I edited this anthology of memoir, practical guidance, poetry, family history, and spiritual reflection. Contributions include “Memories of a Black Catholic Childhood,” “When the Shepherd Steals,” “‘Fail of God’ and Other Misadventures in Deaf Catholic Life,” “The Scandal of Fecundity,” and “Leaving the ‘Angry Jesus’ Behind.” It’s an attempt to offer hope and companionship to people who are struggling to stay Catholic (or considering a return to the Church) in spite of many forms of abuse inflicted within Catholic institutions and communities, and guidance to their pastors and loved ones. I don’t know of any other collection that explores not only the diversity of painful experiences within the Church but their common aspects. The message of the book is not, “You should stay Catholic”–you can find those cases made well elsewhere, for a wide range of personalities and spiritualities–but, “You can, and you’ll have company on the way.”

You can buy the book on Kindle here and in paperback here.