Enormous Prayers: A Journey Into The Priesthood

What has become of the Catholic priesthood in the late twentieth century? The media image of the typical priest has shifted from the beloved, benevolent shepherd to that of a social misfit harboring pedophiliac fantasies. Even as the number of American Catholics has increased to approximately 70 million, the number of priests has steadily declined. How could this turn of events happen within what has been a historically admirable profession? What does it mean for the future of the Catholic church? And how are today's priests coping with the changing social and cultural tides of our time?Enormous Prayers eloquently addresses the current state of American Catholicism. Inspired by his Catholic upbringing, journalist Thomas Kunkel takes the reader on a personal journey through the priesthood. Through absorbing portraits that enable each Father to speak for himself, a broad painting of a diverse and changing Catholic church, and an even larger mural of contemporary America, emerges. Kunkel purposefully interviews a variety of priests, from those who are part of monastic communities to those who are responsible for parishes in impoverished inner-city neighborhoods. Without shying away from the very real problems plaguing the priesthood, Kunkel still manages to provide a humane view of these very moral men who have taken on the yoke of living in a godly fashion. The result is a compelling documentary that brings us deep into the heart of what it means to commit to a Catholic life.