As for Stephen's mother, Florence(later Veronica) the religious influence was fairly weak at home. Not to mention any sort of guidance as Veronica recalls rarely spending time at home during her teen years. Therefore, Veronica became a willing convert.
Very compelling is the effects this dual conversion had upon this future couples family. In Judaism very often a period of mourning takes place and surely Paul became lost to his original family. Amazingly Paul and Veronica seemd to become perfect Catholics to the point of almost totally denying any past affiliation with their Jewish roots.
Stephen's life goes through many turbulent periods. His exposure to the Catholic religion is a lot at first. Whereas he does not reject these teachings, over time Stephen develops other interests most notably the desire to become a musician. Like his parents, he encounters people who encourage him to explore his roots. When he finally does, Stephen becomes enamored with his family history and researches his roots to the point of exploring towns which were touched by the Holocaust.
In spite of the difference of opinion with his mother's own spiritual path, Stephen is able to keep this relationship positive. Furthermore, he creates strong bonds with other family members both Catholic and Jewish. Whereas Stephen's articles meet with feedback both good and bad, at least our hero can say he was able to evolve spiritually while touching others along the way.
I highly recommend this biography which interweaves the spiritual journey of a family over the course of this past century.
Choosing My Religion is a luminous memoir, crafted with the eye of a journalist and the art of a novelist by New York Times Magazine writer and editor Stephen J. Dubner. By turns comic and heartbreaking, it tells the story of a family torn apart by religion, sustained by faith, and reunited by truth.