RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY

For I Have Sinned: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Confession in America

Harvard Univ. Mar. 2025. 336p. ISBN 9780674294523. $35. REL
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Historian O’Toole (emeritus, Boston Coll.; The Faithful: A History of Catholics in America) provides a comprehensive overview of how the sacrament of confession has evolved in the U.S. over many decades and centuries. His book covers everything from how traveling priests during the frontier days established the habit of confession, to the definitions of sins and how they were taught and are viewed today. It’s a fascinating look at the ways the practice and timing of confession have changed and how Catholic priests were trained to handle confession and absolution throughout the last century. O’Toole offers ample evidence, presenting an engaging narrative that draws on the stories of specific priests or dioceses who kept meticulous records of their parishioners’ confession practices.
VERDICT O’Toole’s thorough book provides an intriguing commentary on the evolution of the religious ritual known as confession and perceptions about what is moral and right, then and now. Recommended for religion collections.
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