The Laywoman Project

Mary J. Henold, John R. Turbyfill Professor of History at Roanoke College, is the author of Catholic and Feminist: The Surprising History of the American Catholic Feminist Movement.

"A nuanced picture of a group of Catholics whose spiritual practices have often been overlooked."--Publishers Weekly "A strength of the book is its focus on an alternative women's history of the American Catholic church in the Vatican II era. . . . It is important to gain a better understanding of the lessons learned and the battles fought over gender identity within the hierarchy of the Catholic church during this era of women's rights."--Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work "A unique contribution to religious studies and women's history. . . . Henold's inviting writing style--almost conversational at times--makes the book accessible to students and nonacademic audiences alike."--American Religion "Henold . . . analyzes the responses of one international and five US Catholic women's groups (comprising mainly white, middle-class, middle-aged women) to Vatican II and 1960s feminism. . . . Henold's study is a great launching point for research into other religious groups. . . . Hopefully, the hardened ideological lines Henold identifies won't prevent this readable, discussible study from being adopted by all library collections at the intersection of gender and religion."--CHOICE "Henold has written a valuable and informative book on an important subject. It is recommended reading for anyone interested in Christianity and gender in the American sixties."--Journal of Ecclesiastical History "Henold's superb work of scholarship, at once funny, insightful and wrenching. . . . Shows how my mother's and grandmother's generations fought an uphill battle, 'confronting and dismantling' essentialist ideas inch by inch. Its patient, charitable, critical, empathetic account of its subjects calls both Catholic women and Catholic men to continue this work."--America Magazine