What does it mean to be-or to have been raised-Catholic in America today, now that formally nonpracticing Catholics outnumber the memberships of any other single denomination?Catholic Lives, Contemporary Americais a collection of informed and spirited essays focusing on Catholic lay practices not commonly recognized or, at times, officially sanctioned. For the formidable array of scholars and writers gathered here, being Catholic is not simply a matter of going to confession or attending Mass, and Catholicismrs"s contributions to American cultural identity remain open to question. Edited and with an introduction by Thomas J. Ferraro,Catholic Lives, Contemporary Americaoffers a banquet of essays and interviews, at once subtle and accessible, treating American Catholic lives and legacies with compassion and flair.Contributors. Patrick Allitt, Paul Crowley, Thomas J. Ferraro, James T. Fisher, Paul Giles, Mary Gordon, Stanley Hauerwas, Frank Lentricchia, Robert A. Orsi, Camille Paglia, David Plante, Richard Rodriguez, Kathy Rudy, Andrew Sullivan, Mary Jo Weaver