The Catholic Woman: Difficult Choices in a Modern World

``The wide rainbow of views held by Catholic women who consider themselves practicing and loyal members of their Church,'' is the subject of this anecdotal and informal polling by an ``insider.'' Pieper, whose twin sister and brother are, respectively, a nun and a priest, tracks an unevenly growing feminism within the church through which some women are challenging the hierarchical practices of the institution. Most of the women interviewed here, all of whom are middle- or upper-middle-class, disagree with some Church teachings (e.g., about contraception). They see themselves not as radical feminists, but as women seeking full participation in church life. In some instances, they form their own communities of worship and spiritual support. The anecdotes are expressive, the tone non-judgmental in this lively articulation of the difficulties faced by many adult Catholic women in relating to their Church. (Nov.)