Volume > Issue > Catholic Chic

Catholic Chic

GUEST COLUMN

By Richard Crepeau | April 2002
Richard Crepeau is Professor of History at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. This column previously appeared on PopPolitics.com.

Is it some sort of new chic?

Am I somehow suddenly “in”?

For some reason over the past several months there seems to have been a rash of people popping up “everywhere” who claim, and I emphasize “claim,” to have been “raised Catholic.” The most recent is the guy who played “Puddy” on Seinfeld, who made his confession to Terry Gross on Fresh Air.

Reading the newspaper, I discover politicians who were “raised Catholic.” Celebrities of all sorts from television, movies, or some esoteric branch of show business or the arts tell the world with a wink and a nod that they were “raised Catholic.” It seems to resonate with everyone. There seems to be an unspoken understanding of the precise meaning of this biographical fact.

Enjoyed reading this?

READ MORE! REGISTER TODAY

SUBSCRIBE

You May Also Enjoy

The U.S. Catholic Church Is Sinking Fast

Whatever happened to the "Springtime of the Faith"? No springtime here. Actually, the forecast calls for an extended winter.

In Defense of Richard John Neuhaus

In the January issue of the NEW OXFORD REVIEW, Dale Vree levels a serious charge…

The News You May Have Missed: May 2020

Van Gone... St. Corona... Pot Prize... Stripped & Exiled... I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bug Butter... The Books Brits Buy... Leap for Joy... and more