November 03, 2006

Books

Beyond Ideology

Catholic and French ForeverReligious and National Identity in Modern FranceJoseph F. ByrnesPennsylvania State University Press, $50, 278 pp.

Steven Englund

When Pope John Paul II arrived at the airport on his first trip to France in 1980, he scolded “the eldest daughter of the church” for being untrue to her baptismal vows. France was the land that produced Joan of Arc and Thérèse of Lisieux, and yet Mass attendance was abysmally low, and vocations almost nonexistent. Still, his remarks were not appreciated. Then (...)


 

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