Timothy Kelly, Associate Professor at St. Vincent College, has in The Transformation of American Catholicism provided a scholarly, yet highly readable and significant account, which helps to correct the lacunae in academic works concerning the impact of Vatican II on the laity. Kelly successfully argues that in Pittsburgh, as one example, Vatican II did not provide the initial catalyst to greater lay participation in the American Church; rather, such activity was already present in the decade prior to the council. This monograph provides an interesting and rarely seen view of an active laity that seems to contradict the prevailing historical perspective that dominates the literature. Kelly presents his argument in three parts that comprise nine chapters, a preface, and a conclusion.

Part 1, “The Pre-Conciliar Church,” describes how the post–World War II Pittsburgh Church labeled materialism, defined as the subordination of the supernatural to the physical, to be the enemy. The single greatest manifestation of this force was Communism. Pittsburgh Catholics sought to neutralize this force in general through a three-part program. Traditional devotionalism was fostered through large public rallies and parades, such as those promoted by the Holy Name Society (HNS). While the HNS might have been the best organized group, the backbone to Pittsburgh's devotional life was found among smaller groups dominated by women. Despite this outward display, Kelly suggests that public devotionalism in the 1950s lagged behind earlier generations. In general, he suggests that this diminution came about as devotions less and less met the needs of the laity.

In addition to combating Communism, Catholics created a cultural and social world relatively safe from American culture. Commonly labeled the Catholic “ghetto,” this separatist mentality kept Catholics in their own little world. The greatest manifestation of this was the elaborate system of Catholic education. Additionally, Catholics married their own kind, staying within the ghetto. As with devotionalism, however, Kelly describes how the ghetto began to break down. Despite significant building programs there were insufficient schools to educate Catholic youth. This is especially true on the secondary level. Thus, children were forced to attend public schools. Graduates of Catholic colleges also sought to break out from the separatist mentality. Lastly, mixed marriages began to climb throughout the decade of the 1950s.

Unlike devotionalism and the ghetto mentality that called Catholics into the private sphere to combat materialism, the Church's commitment to social justice called the faithful into the public sphere to confront and transform American society along Catholic ideals. In Pittsburgh, drives to blunt exploitation of workers and families, an effort to combat commercialization, and an attempt to eradicate social bias and discrimination became the basic pattern of social justice. While adult education programs were helpful, the liturgical movement played the most profound role in sparking and sustaining social reform.

In part 2, “Aggiornamento Americano,” Kelly provides a helpful overview of Vatican II and its general impact on the Church in Pittsburgh. While the council met in Rome, liturgical renewal, through the fostering of greater lay participation in the Mass, was ongoing in Pittsburgh. The new liturgy, Kelly suggests, was especially important for the promotion of harmony between peoples and social justice.

Part 3, “The Post-Conciliar Church,” describes two major diocesan efforts, the creation of a Diocesan Pastoral Council and the holding of a synod to implement the council's teachings. In 1966, Bishop John Wright formed the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Human Relations Commission, both of which principally sought to address the issue of race. Two years later, preparations began to hold a synod. The democratic process used in preparing the synod, while favored by many, made the process extremely complex and cumbersome. In the last chapter, Kelly uses three specific parishes, in urban, suburban, and ethnic settings, to analyze how Vatican II was implemented in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The Transformation of American Catholicism clearly demonstrates that Pittsburgh Catholics were moving away from those traditional weapons to fight materialism, namely devotions and the ghetto mentality, at least ten years before Vatican II ended. Additionally, Kelly forcefully presents a case for how Pittsburgh's Catholics transitioned toward a greater sense of social justice. The first third of Kelly's monograph is by far the most informative and breaks new ground in arguing the case for greater lay activity long before Vatican II. This is the book's great strength. Part 2 presents a useful overview of the council, both in general and its impact on Pittsburgh. However, in this reviewer's opinion, three interpretations require greater nuance. First, the author speaks of how Vatican II moved the Mass in a long transition from sacrifice to celebration. Without sufficient nuance the statement is very misleading. Similarly, his description of revelation as scripture and tradition does not clearly indicate that there is one deposit of faith (revelation), comprised of two parts. Lastly, Kelly suggests that historians are not clear on why Pope John XXIII called the council. John O'Malley, S.J. and Joseph Komonchak, among other scholars, have convincingly argued that Pope John sought an aggiornamento, with the council being the vehicle to achieve this goal. Part 3, which describes the creation of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the calling of the synod, together with the council's implementation in three diverse parishes, provides the reader with a broader view, suggesting that the progressive movement of the Church in Pittsburgh had its limits.

Timothy Kelly's book is of great value to scholars, students of American Catholic history, and the faithful in Pittsburgh, all of whom will find much food for thought in this volume. The monograph is a fine addition to the literature and serves well, as was the author's intent, to help fill a void in explaining how Vatican II impacted lay Catholics.