James P. McCartin teaches at Seton Hall University. He is the author of Prayers of the Faithful: The Shifting Spiritual Life of American Catholics (Harvard University Press). Also by this author Prayer Cards & Holy Dirt Get Commonweal’s latest, delivered twice weekly. Email address Published in the 2005-03-11 issue: View Contents Recommended for you Christian Radical By Arvin Alaigh October 1, 2026 Pulling the Brake By Eugene McCarraher September 28, 2026 Clerics Without Clericalism By Timothy Kirchoff October 1, 2026