The nineteenth century witnessed one of the greatest of Catholic religious revivals in history, with an impact that was still very strong in the interwar period. This revival was of enormous value in the realm of doctrinal and moral teaching. On the other hand, there were notable aspects of devotional life that indicated a retreat from the social to the private realm, and an association of faith with ways of thought and behavior deemed particularly feminine in character. This was not without serious consequences, since it seems to make religion appear to have little to do with masculine concerns and practical activity in the world at large. Presented in Gardone, Italy in July of 2018.