Pagan Babies: and Other Catholic Memories

by Gina Cascone

As a child, Gina Cascone would hide under her bed, in the closet, and run away from her parents, hoping somehow to escape her worst fear. But she couldn't hide from the awful truth...
She had to go to Catholic school.
Do nuns have legs? Is Original Sin the "starter sin" for novices? Can the rosary be said in under fifteen minutes? These are some of the questions that vex young Gina Cascone as she makes her way, grade by grade -- and prayer by prayer -- through the rigors of a Catholic education. All the answers can be found in this hilarious classic of childhood the traumatic first day of school, the dorky plaid uniform complete with matching beanie, glow-in-the-dark rosary beads, first confession trauma, proper dashboard decor ("Cadillacs got Jesus; Oldsmobiles got Mary"), and the race to save the most "pagan babies," who weren't lucky enough to be born Catholic and American.

Genres: Humor, Religion, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Also writes as A.G. Cascone.

Reviews

[Melanie]

Very fun read!

[Kathryn]

Liked her writing and the stories she choose to share. I don't believe there was a single time knuckles got rapped with a ruler.

I only went to one year of Catholic School, it was a few years after she did, it was co-ed and I was in the 7th grade. These facts stack up to no overlapping experiences.

I've been trying to find something that will give me some insight into my grandmother's experience in a Catholic boarding school, but that was long before the time period before this. Once I realized that, I wouldn't have kept reading if it hadn't been easy and enjoy able to read.

Appreciated the last chapter to wrap it up. Though I am curious whatever happened to Dianna and Sandra.


I'll indulge in just one quote:
(Regarding Mary) "The only thing we had in common with her was virginity. And none of us, except Sandra, planned to go professional with that."

[Maureen O'Brien O'Reilly]

Witty and funny but not my experience during Catholic elementary school. I wondered if the author was much older than me but no, she is three years younger. Much of her description of the sisters is the worst of stereotypes. The biggest item missing from the Pagan Babies book is any mention of Vatican II. Still am glad I read the book though, if only to have an opportunity to compare/contrast the author's memoires with my own. The nuns were kind of monsterous to her, mine were wise women witches and wonderful role models.

[Michelle Krasovich]

Okay, so much of this book reads like an inside joke. But still, the perspective of the often bewildering doctrines of the Catholic faith, from the eyes of a child through her parochial school years left so many "laugh out loud moments". It is interesting that I look back on my years in a Catholic school with a loving nostalgia, and through the pages of this book, I can understand why the "Catholic" school experience is both perplexing and wonderful.

[David]

That I should own two different books entitled "Pagan Babies" must be attributed to my Irish Catholic childhood. This one is distinctly inferior to Elmore Leonard's book. If you're looking for a book which mocks the accumulated weirdness of Catholic doctrine irreverently, then "Pope-pourri" is a better bet, and far more amusing.

[Gia]

Very funny, though I still think "Life Al Dente" is her superior work. It well-memorializes life in Catholic school and those unforgettable nuns who tamed all of us wild children, giving us good manners and penmanship!

[Granny]

A witty and delightfully sarcastic volume of vignettes on growing up in a Catholic school. I am going to leave this review brief, because to quote any part of it is to spoil the fun. One of the better humor books in recent years!

[Anne]

A great read for Catholics of my generation (and maybe other generations, too...) Makes you feel guilty when you laugh at it, just a little.... If you're Catholic, you'll understand!

[Cwilson]

This is too funny. Takes all the crap of being a Catholic (of which I know personally LOL) and actually showing the amusing side of the whole religion.

[Kathy Davie]

This is a buy!

Fascinating insights into nuns, Catholic school, and the Catholic religion in general…ohmigod funny!

[Tiffany]

Laugh out loud funny. If you are Catholic or have close friends or family that are you will enjoy this very sweet and funny memoir.

[David Kerschner]

Funny, probably most enjoyable if you went to Catholic school.

[Mary Kinietz]

Very true, but not as good as other similar books in my opinion.

[Carol Taylor]

I loved this short book about Catholic memories. It definitely hit home for me. Cascone went to an all-girls' elementary school in the 60's whereas I went to a boys' and girls' grade school in the 50's. I believe that anyone who went to Catholic schools in almost any time period has had similar experiences with the nuns, the kindly diocesan priest, the bishop and even the Pope. I only laughed out loud a few times but I really enjoyed Cascone's writing and all her memories.
I'm asking my son to read part of it so he can experience a little of what I went through. I don't mean to sound negative because I loved my 5th - 8th grade years at a Catholic school. Catholic high school - not so much (if there was a book about those memories, I wouldn't read it).

[Trish]

Actually read a couple of chapters and was bored. So I did not finish.

[Eileen]

Brought back memories!

[Lisa Mendiaz]

Loved this book - great memories of everyday Catholic school life.

[Chris Hickey]

Silly look back at all things Catholic in the "golden age" of parochial education.