Struck Down, Not Destroyed

“In Struck Down, Not Destroyed, Colleen Dulle takes a unique spiritual pilgrimage, one that confronts candidly the institutional mistakes and failures of the Catholic Church, while holding on to faith. It’s a book that will resonate with many Catholics, young and old, who are trying to understand the scandals of recent years and move beyond them.”—John Thavis, New York Times bestselling author of The Vatican Diaries“This is an exceptional book, relentlessly honest, never avoiding the challenges to a life of faith that come from reporting on the church, ever willing to work through the ambiguities and contradictions in the church community with the courage that a paschal faith should foster in each of us. Colleen Dulle has kept her eyes open both to the grace and the brokenness of the church’s leadership and members. This book will be a gift for those who are struggling to keep faith when confronted with failures in living out that faith with integrity. And it is an especially valuable read for those in positions of leadership and authority in the church at all levels, who need to keep our eyes open to both the holiness and the sinfulness within the community, trusting in God, taking to heart and speaking the call to conversion, and, by hard work and the grace of God, keeping it all in perspective.”—Donald Bolen, archbishop of Regina, Canada“Resisting cynicism and simplistic tribalism, Dulle writes frankly about recent scandals in the church and movingly about how she’s managed to keep her faith. Like Jacob wrestling with God in the dead of night, she holds on—and in the midst of the struggle, somehow a blessing comes. This is a compelling, fortifying read for anyone who is grappling with the fallen side of the church.”—Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender“With courage and candor, Ms. Dulle lays bare her inner turmoil as she, a faithful Catholic and a correspondent for America magazine, reveals how her faith was tested when confronted with one scandal after another in the institutional church. Confronting the ‘dark side of the Good News’ is not easy, but it can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Catholic today. We are the church, the body of Christ, a living organism that proclaims redemption even as it begs for forgiveness. Thank you, Ms. Dulle, for reminding us of this difficult yet compelling truth.”—Most Reverend John C. Wester, archbishop of Santa Fe

Colleen Dulle is a multimedia journalist covering Catholic and Vatican news and analysis at America Media, where she hosts and produces the weekly news podcast Inside the Vatican. She has reported national and international news for Catholic News Service, the Associated Press, The Times-Picayune, and the St. Louis Review. Dulle’s work has earned regional and national accolades from the Catholic Media Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Media Editors. Dulle was twice named the Catholic Media Association Multimedia Journalist of the Year.