In Are You There God? It's Me, Ellen, author and journalist Ellen Coyne examines her own relationship with the Catholic faith she grew up in, and wonders if it's possible to still be a Catholic in Ireland today as a modern woman, with a modern ideology on life.

I thought this was a very easy, enjoyable book to listen to and while I didn't grow up as deeply entrenched in religion the way Ellen did, I also grew up in an Irish household with a father who believes quite strongly, and went to a N.S where I made my communion and confirmation. I was in the children's choir for family mass, and was a regular reader of the Prayers of the Faithful. Similar to Ellen, I also then broke away from the church in my teen years as I started to become more aware of the corruption and power imbalance at play, and the harm that the church as an institution has done to Ireland, in particular to women and children. I'm getting married this year, and have opted to avoid a religious ceremony as I don't feel right or comfortable invoking religion on our marriage (and don't agree with many of the wordings in a Catholic marriage ceremony about a woman's place in the home and to her husband). Yet, despite all of this, I also understood Ellen's needs to examine what it means to be Catholic today and I was intrigued to see what she learned about if it's even possible to be a pro-choice, pro-gay rights young Catholic in Ireland that is allowed to be critical of the church's historic failings.

I thought this was a fair and measured look at the Catholic Church's history in Ireland and what it means for a young person trying to find a way in now. Ellen Coyne is a journalist, and I can feel you can tell this by how the book is written - it's easily digestible and while this book is aimed at an Irish reader, news stories and cultural moments are described well that those outside of Ireland with a lesser understanding should feel up to speed quick enough in different sections. There was a large emphasis in this book on the Repeal the 8th movement and the referendum to grant abortion rights to the women of Ireland, as it was a changing point for Ellen with her faith (and while I don't agree with some of her views around when 'life' begins, I appreciate and respect her sharing of what it meant for her to vote with a Christian heart), and was also another moment aspects of the Church reared its ugly head and we still often see some terrible things said or done to or about women in a very vulnerable place because of the Chruch's stance on abortion rights.

I liked that Ellen not only spoke to Catholic priests and leaders but also had some eye-opening conversations with others in the Christian faith such as a lesbian vicar with the Church of Ireland, and how while it may have been easier for her to just divert to a different church, Ellen is a Catholic and wanted to remain so.

While I certainly won't be going back to mass anytime soon or declaring myself a Catholic, this book has reassured me that there are some modern leaders and people really trying within the Catholic Church in Ireland, and it's not as depressing and archaic as one originally thinks. And that the Catholic Church as an institution is oft times completely separate to how people behave and treat others with a Catholic mindset, with love, kindness and empathy in their hearts. I appreciate what Ellen looked into in this book, and that she didn't allow the Church away with some of its big mistakes and made it clear what it needs to do to have a true future in Ireland, in a country where state and church are completely separated as they should be.