Confessions of a Closet Catholic

Our group decided to meet on Monday evening at 5:00 p.m. to discuss Confessions of a Closet Catholic. We had a rich conversation partially focused around the question: How did Justine’s relationships influence her self image and religious identity? We discussed how her relationship with her mother had a profound impact on Justine’s self image. The repeated negative comments about her weight undoubtedly affected how she saw herself. Her mother’s criticism about her appearance reinforced Justine’s own negative thought about herself. On the other hand, our group discussed the special relationship that Justine had with her Bubbe. Their relationship, we decided, was positive and unique, and helped Justine through hard times. Although Bubbe’s stroke had a major impact on Justine, she was still able to find strength and reassurance through her grandmother at a time of great confusion. Bubbe’s religious, spiritual, and emotional support came through at Justine’s time of need. Another relationship that our group talked about was between Justine and the rabbi from the Center for Jewish Understanding. This man provided clarity and helpful suggestions that provided Justine with important knowledge without pressuring her. Justine’s relationship with the rabbi form the center for Jewish Understanding was important because he listened to her thoughts and feelings. He did not show bias and did not have a personal agenda that he was pushing. He was there for Justine when she really needed it. As our discussion wound down we talked about personal experiences that we have had involving our own religious identity. It seemed that most of us had questioned our religious identity at one point or another. Our personal experiences helped us relate to Justine as we read the book. We also talked about the impact that the adults in our lives had on both our self image and religious identities. This book did a good job of showing how personal relationships are so influential in shaping the lives of children and young adults.