A People of Hope

October 10, 2011
Allen (The Future Church), widely considered the most insightful English-language journalist covering the Catholic Church, has produced an engaging introduction to the man he views as America’s most influential prelate: New York’s Archbishop Dolan. It’s not a biography but a series of interviews, in which Dolan’s gregarious personality shines as he ponders issues from dissent to his own prayer life. Allen presents Dolan as the prime exemplar of the “affirmative orthodoxy” of Pope Benedict XVI, which emphasizes what the church embraces over what it forbids. Those on both sides may be disappointed by Dolan’s discussion of women’s ordination, in which he defends the ban but is silent on the theology behind it. But Dolan addresses sexuality issues more thoroughly and pastorally. He offers limited support for ordaining married men under extraordinary circumstances and gives insight into discussions with the Vatican on prochoice Catholic politicians. He describes himself as someone more concerned about tending souls than maintaining institutional structures. His love for the church, despite its flaws and leaders’ failings, pervades the book. The text assumes familiarity with Catholic terms and teachings and won’t satisfy scholars eager for nuanced analysis. But it will be a starting point for future biographers.

November 1, 2011

In 2009, church historian and archbishop of Milwaukee Timothy Dolan found himself in one of America's most watched pulpits when he was named to succeed Cardinal Edward Egan as archbishop of New York. The next year, Dolan was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops over the sitting vice president, who would traditionally have been elected. Veteran Vatican reporter Allen (Vatican correspondent, National Catholic Reporter; The Future Church) sat down with Dolan for a series of interviews covering topics such as the sex abuse crisis, women in the church, authority and dissent, and faith and politics. Each chapter is prefaced by a summary by Allen, situating the topic in the wider context of the American church. Dolan's candid answers are to an extent what one would expect, upholding traditional Catholic teaching, but they are nuanced and show a definite pastoral concern. VERDICT Allen's work offers an up-close and personal portrait of an important church figure; it will appeal to anyone who has an interest in the Catholic Church in the United States today.--Augustine J. Curley, O.S.B., Newark Abbey, NJ

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2011
In the arena of U.S. Catholicism, the archbishopric of New York is the catbird seat. Seldom is the occupant also president of the policy-making U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But Timothy Dolan is. Untainted by scandalindeed, one who effectively cleaned up the Milwaukee archdiocese's sexual-abuse imbrogliohe is now the most important Catholic voice in America. These absorbing conversations focus on the challenges facing the church and the elements of Catholic faith and life that Dolan thinks are most important to American Catholics. Career Catholic journalist Allen elicits the cheerful mensch portrayed by the introductory chapter, The Dolan Story. This intelligent, scrupulous priest is a dedicated negotiator, who likes, he says, to hammer out agreements over a beer and a hamburger. Doctrinally orthodox (abortion is the number-one public issue to him), he yet shows his training as a historian, not a theologian, in his preference to stress the church as a loving community, an immense but genuine family, rather than a body of dogma and apology.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)