Johnson Publishes Book

Sr. Mary Johnson, S.N.D., Ph.D. (Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies), will publish a co-authored book this May: New Generations of Catholic Sisters: The Challenge of Diversity.  She co-wrote the text with Patricia Wittberg, S.C., and Mary L. Gautier.  According to Oxford University Press, the book is a “sociological study of religious life for women in the United States” and thus “offers a comprehensive examination of the generations of women who entered religious life in the United States after 1965.”  Further information, including how to pre-order the book, can also be found on Amazon.

A sampling of editorial reviews for this new book:

• “This book is an outstanding example of sociology at the service of life! The authors have engaged a topic of vital interest to all segments of the Church—apostolic women’s religious life—and analyzed its current state, potential future, and ultimate significance with remarkable insight. A must-read for anyone who cares about the ‘new evangelization.'”   —Doris Gottemoeller, R.S.M., Past President of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
• “Seldom does one encounter a work with such broad resources and balanced analysis as is provided by the authors of New Generations of Catholic Sisters. They examine the topic of vocations to women’s religious congregations from every conceivable angle, concluding with a striking section on implications for the future. This book is essential reading for women religious and for all who have benefited from the ministry of sisters.”   —Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., Endowed Chair for the Social Scientific Study of Religion, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota
• “Over the years, I’ve read and heard a lot of consternation, prognostication, and simplifications about Catholic sisters. But, alas, I have not come across much empirically astute and theoretically nimble analysis of them–until now. With their rich data, thoughtful comparisons (especially among generational cohorts) and plain good sense, this team of scholars provides us with an extremely nuanced and well-written account of U.S.-based nuns today.”   —Jerome P. Baggett, author of Sense of the Faithful: How American Catholics Live Their Faith

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