An exploration of faith, doubt, and family that expertly balances tender recollection with sharp insight. … Gilger’s prose is consistently engaging—it’s succinct, humorous, and laced with self-awareness. She easily distills complicated theological practices and historical contexts into plain language filled with wry one-liners. (When discussing her attempts to commune with God, she jokes, “Being out of practice, it was a short conversation.”) Her skill as a journalist shines through in her deft scene-setting and dialogue; the author recreates difficult conversations with her son without ever losing her sharp, objective perspective.

Publisher’s Weekly Review: publishersweekly.com

Gilger critiques Catholicism while leaving room for its mysteries (‘I’ve given up trying to know everything, and I’m beginning to accept what I can’t possibly know yet deeply feel’). Most affecting is the depiction of a mother’s unflinching willingness to follow her son into unexpected places ('We went with Patrick, haltingly and stumbling at times, but we went with him’). This will strike a chord with Catholics who have questioned their own faith.

Article: Focolare Media

“Not the Life I would Have Chosen for My Son,” Sept. 30, 2025

Article: America Magazine

“How Writing a Book Changed My Understanding of the Divine,” November 2025 issue