Different identity accounts for Catholic women

Through interviews with thirty-seven individuals, I compare personal "identity accounts" for women who agree with Church doctrines, those who disagree and leave the Church, and those who disagree and remain loyal to Catholicism. Surprisingly, women who leave and women who agree with Catholic doctrines have similar accounts for what it means to be a Catholic. The central part of this paper is devoted to understanding women who are dissatisfied and remain committed Catholics. These women view Catholic identity as negotiable, finding meaning and voice in their parish and in the wider Church. This group also believes in their own abilities to make changes in the doctrines of the Church, revealing that individualist religious identities may actually foster commitment. Findings expand research on religious identities and have implications for the relationship of personal identity accounts to institutional change.