Still Catholic

In this sequel to Raised Catholic (Can You Tell?), Stivender takes us through his adolescence and growing toward adulthood as a Catholic in a perhaps gentler Philadelphia of the 1960s. From class clown who is happy he doesn't have to confess the sin of adultery in the weekly Saturday ritual (``how could I? I wasn't an adult''), Stivender advances to Catholic high school, where he stars as a debater with the unfortunate (for a good Catholic!) topic of disproving the existence of God. In 12 stories he describes as wrestling with demons and angels, he spars with teachers about Catholic dogma in an era of change and has fun with some memorable icons of a Catholic upbringing. In addition, he paints a heartwarming picture of family life, especially the bond with his non-Catholic father. With affectionate humor, Stivender, who has a master's degree in theology and has taught in a Catholic high school, explores a nostalgia for the historic elements of Catholic culture in the United States. (June)