Struck Down, Not Destroyed

Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter

De: Colleen Dulle, James Martin SJ - introduction

Narrado por: Colleen Dulle, James Martin SJ

A bold, inspiring call not to lose spiritual hope from a Vatican reporter who has seen the Catholic Church’s darkness—and has learned that it cannot overpower the light

“A compelling, fortifying read for anyone who is grappling with the fallen side of the church.”—Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender

For too many Catholics, the darkness of creeping doubt, of drifting out into the spiritual cold of God’s absence, is felt not outside the church but within it. With each of the church’s moral failures—the sexual abuse, systematic mistreatment of women, shady financial management, its cozy relationships with corrupt political power—people lose faith or they wonder if they can, in good conscience, remain part of the church at all. For Catholic journalists who report on the church’s failures in detail, the struggle to keep the faith can feel like an intolerable cognitive dissonance.

In Struck Down, Not Destroyed, Vatican reporter for America magazine Colleen Dulle takes readers for the first time into her own experience of reporting: how the church has put her own faith into crisis, and how she has managed to stay Catholic by meeting again and again the spiritual reality at the heart of the church—God and the saints. With each chapter, Dulle revisits her reporting on a church crisis, revealing to readers that in every instance of anger, betrayal, and hurt, she was ultimately renewed in hope, courage, and resolve.

Recounting efforts to pray honestly and finding herself yelling at God, attending Mass at churches where she was treated like the “wrong” kind of Catholic, or learning that one of her spiritual heroes was a sexual abuser, Dulle offers readers the gift of solidarity: they are not alone and there is hope. At the times when the church seemed merely human, just an institution for power and politicking, Dulle found herself spiritually upheld by difficult prayer, other faithful Catholics, fellow reporters, faithful priests, and, ultimately, the Holy Spirit. Dulle holds out this same promise for readers. She provides no easy solutions, nor does she pretend to resolve the feelings of dissonance; instead, she passes on the courage she received with a vivid reminder that the church’s faith is still worth believing in and fighting for.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“In Struck Down, Not Destroyed, Colleen Dulle takes a unique spiritual pilgrimage, one that confronts candidly the institutional mistakes and failures of the Catholic Church, while holding on to faith. It’s a book that will resonate with many Catholics, young and old, who are trying to understand the scandals of recent years and move beyond them.”—John Thavis, New York Times bestselling author of The Vatican Diaries

“This is an exceptional book, relentlessly honest, never avoiding the challenges to a life of faith that come from reporting on the church, ever willing to work through the ambiguities and contradictions in the church community with the courage that a paschal faith should foster in each of us. Colleen Dulle has kept her eyes open both to the grace and the brokenness of the church’s leadership and members. This book will be a gift for those who are struggling to keep faith when confronted with failures in living out that faith with integrity. And it is an especially valuable read for those in positions of leadership and authority in the church at all levels, who need to keep our eyes open to both the holiness and the sinfulness within the community, trusting in God, taking to heart and speaking the call to conversion, and, by hard work and the grace of God, keeping it all in perspective.”—Donald Bolen, archbishop of Regina, Canada

“Resisting cynicism and simplistic tribalism, Dulle writes frankly about recent scandals in the church and movingly about how she’s managed to keep her faith. Like Jacob wrestling with God in the dead of night, she holds on—and in the midst of the struggle, somehow a blessing comes. This is a compelling, fortifying read for anyone who is grappling with the fallen side of the church.”—Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender

“With courage and candor, Ms. Dulle lays bare her inner turmoil as she, a faithful Catholic and a correspondent for America magazine, reveals how her faith was tested when confronted with one scandal after another in the institutional church. Confronting the ‘dark side of the Good News’ is not easy, but it can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Catholic today. We are the church, the body of Christ, a living organism that proclaims redemption even as it begs for forgiveness. Thank you, Ms. Dulle, for reminding us of this difficult yet compelling truth.”—Most Reverend John C. Wester, archbishop of Santa Fe

so relatable!

This book could have been written by thousands of us who are hurt and/or struggling, but she took the initiative and dove in. The honesty and insight in this book is powerful. It's all the more impressive knowing how young she is. Well done!

Her honesty and thoroughness is describing weaknesses in the church and why she is Catholic anyway

Colleen was able to expose a lot of what troubles a lot of us about the Catholic Church. Then she was able to make the case that improvements are being made. She also, correctly, points out that it about Jesus anyway! A great book, well delivered!

A refreshing voice

Colleen Dulle successfully uses her voice to amplify some of the most common faith struggles of many Catholics. It is so refreshing to hear from a devoted and informed Catholic about her genuine challenges, while remaining committed to and hopeful about the faith. I will be recommending this to friends who have expressed some of these same struggles.

Logra en el lector el efecto y propósito expresados por la autora.

Este libro protesta y propone al mismo tiempo que analiza, explica y edifica. Su lectura interpela tanto como orienta. No he encontrado otra obra tan actual, tan lúcida y tan realista. Es un texto imprescindible para quienes buscan transformaciones de fondo y han vivido el cansancio, el dolor y las resistencias de una institución ambivalente.