Catholic Church sexual abuse cases

"Sexual abuse by clergy" redirects here. For clerical sexual abuse in other religions and denominations, see Sexual abuse § Positions of power.

Theodore McCarrick (1930–2025), ordered in 2018 by Pope Francis to a life of prayer and penance. Found guilty of sexual crimes against adults and minors and abuse of power, he was dismissed from the clergy in February 2019. He was the most senior church official in modern times to be laicized and was the first cardinal laicized for sexual misconduct.

Pope Francis making a speech in the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (2018). The Catholic Church in Chile in 2018 suffered one of the worst of the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse cases, including the Fernando Karadima case, resulting in several convictions and resignations.

Reports of the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy and members of religious orders have been documented in many countries. From the late twentieth century onward, allegations and investigations revealed long-term patterns of misconduct and, in some cases, failures by Church authorities to address or disclose allegations. ^[3] Victims were primarily boys, though girls were also affected, with reported ages ranging from early childhood to adolescence. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} Public awareness increased as many adults came forward years after the alleged incidents, leading to criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, and internal Church reviews. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

By the 1990s and early 2000s, major inquiries in several countries identified systemic shortcomings in reporting and responding to abuse. The Boston Globe 's 2002 investigation, later depicted in the film Spotlight , brought significant attention to the issue in the United States and contributed to broader international scrutiny. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14]} Between 2001 and 2010, the Holy See reviewed roughly 3,000 cases involving priests, some dating back decades, while scholars emphasized that sexual abuse is often underreported, complicating efforts to determine its full scope. ^{[15] [16]}

Successive popes have issued statements and implemented reforms in response to the crisis. John Paul II described sexual abuse within the Church as "a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ". ^[17] Benedict XVI met with victims, expressed "shame" for the harm caused, and criticized failures by Church leaders. ^{[18] [19]} Pope Francis initially faced criticism for comments related to a Chilean case but later apologized for what he called a "tragic error," convened a global meeting of episcopal conference presidents in 2019, and introduced measures aimed at increasing transparency and accountability. ^{[20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]} Pope Leo XVI, while serving as a bishop, publicly urged victims to report abuse and rejected secrecy during an interview, though some critics have alleged that he mishandled cases during his tenure in Chiclayo. ^{[26] [27]}

Debate has continued regarding the extent and framing of media coverage. Some commentators argue that reporting has at times reflected anti-Catholic bias and note that abuse also occurs in other religious and secular institutions. ^{[28] [29]} Studies cited by psychologists, including Thomas G. Plante, have found no evidence that Catholic clergy abuse minors at higher rates than other adult men or clergy from other traditions. ^{[30] [31] [32]}

Global extent of abuse

See also: Catholic Church sexual abuse cases by country

Percentage of Catholics by country (2010).

Reports of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy and members of religious orders have appeared throughout the Church's history. Early references include Peter Damian's eleventh century Liber Gomorrhianus, which condemned clerical misconduct, as well as Martin Luther's sixteenth-century criticisms of abuses within the Roman Curia. ^{[33] [34]}

In the modern era, allegations have been documented in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Belgium, France, Germany, and Australia, with additional cases reported elsewhere. ^[16] Many complaints involve incidents that occurred decades earlier, and national inquiries have consistently identified patterns of delayed reporting, inadequate oversight, and failures to remove accused clergy from ministry.

In Ireland, a series of government-commissioned reports found widespread physical and sexual abuse in Church-run institutions from the mid-twentieth century onward and concluded that both ecclesiastical and state authorities failed to protect children or respond adequately to allegations. ^{[35] [36] [37]} In Australia, police investigations and advocacy groups documented numerous cases, prompting the establishment of a national Royal Commission in 2013 to examine institutional responses to child sexual abuse. ^{[38] [39] [40] [41]}

In Latin America, the most prominent case involved Father Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legion of Christ, whose misconduct prompted a Vatican-led apostolic visitation and subsequent reforms of the congregation. ^{[42] [43] [44] [45] [46]} Other countries in the region, including Chile and Argentina, have reported cases that led to public inquiries, episcopal resignations, and internal Church investigations. ^{[47] [48]}

Scholars and Church officials have noted that abuse in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America is difficult to measure due to limited reporting, hierarchical structures, and cultural barriers to disclosure. ^[16] In Tanzania, allegations involving clergy became public decades after the events following a media investigation. ^[49] In the Philippines, reports increased after extensive media coverage in 2002, ^[50] while academic Matthew N. Schmalz has observed that in India allegations often remain informal and rarely progress to formal charges. ^[16]

Major cases

One of the earliest documented internal warnings came from American priest Gerald Fitzgerald, founder of the Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete, who in the 1950s he cautioned bishops and Vatican officials that priests who had abused minors were "unlikely to change and should not be returned to ministry." His concerns, raised directly with Pope Paul VI, foreshadowed later debates about the reassignment of accused clergy and the adequacy of Church oversight. ^[51]

In 2002, The Boston Globe's investigation into the Archdiocese of Boston revealed extensive patterns of abuse and institutional concealment, prompting national and international scrutiny. The reporting, later depicted in the film Spotlight , led to criminal prosecutions, resignations, and broader inquiries into clerical abuse in the United States and abroad. A subsequent investigation by The Dallas Morning News found that some accused priests had been transferred to other countries and reassigned to roles involving contact with children, and that nearly half of 200 examined cases involved attempts to evade law enforcement. ^{[16] [4]}

Americas

Central America

In Costa Rica, several priests have faced criminal and canonical proceedings. ^[52] High-profile cases include Mauricio Víquez, laicized in 2019 and later sentenced to twenty years in prison for abusing a minor, and Manual Guevera who was arrested following complaints in the same year. ^{[53] [54] [55] [56]} Additional cases have involved clergy detained at borders, convicted of sexual offenses, or investigated for misconduct. ^{[57] [58] [59] [60]}

In the Dominican Republic, Józef Wesołowski, former apostolic nuncio, was laicized in 2014 after allegations of abusing minors. He died in 2015 before a Vatican criminal trial could proceed. ^{[61] [62]}

In El Salvador, multiple priests, including Jesús Delgado, Francisco Gálvez and Antonio Molina, were laicized after canonical findings of abuse committed between 1980 and 2002. ^{[63] [64] [65] [66]} Additional cases have resulted in suspensions, public apologies, and Vatican-imposed sentences. ^[67]

In Honduras, Pope Francis accepted the 2018 resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Juan José Pineda following allegations of sexual misconduct involving seminarians concerns about financial and financial irregularities. ^[68]

North America

Canada

One of the most significant Canadian cases involved the Mount Cashel Orphanage in St. John's, Newfoundland, where more than 300 former residents reported abuse by members of the Christian Brothers. The order later filed for bankruptcy in response to extensive civil litigation. ^{[69] [70]} Other major cases include convictions of priests such as Charles Henry Sylvstre and Williamson Hodgson Marshall, both found guilty of abusing minors over several decades. ^{[71] [72] [73]}

Abuse has also been documented in Catholic run residential schools attended by thousands of First Nations children, as Manitoba leader Phil Fontaine described his own experiences of abuse, and Author Michael D. O'Brien revealed that abuse was an epidemic in "residential schools and orphanages." ^{[74] [75]}

Mexico

In Mexico, the most widely known case involved Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legion of Christ, who was accused of abusing numerous minors and fathering children. After years of denial by the order, the allegations were acknowledged in 1998, and Maciel was removed from ministry in 2006. ^{[42] [43]} Other cases have resulted in significant criminal results, including the 2021 conviction of Luis Esteban Zavala Rodríguez for the rape of a twelve-year-old girl. ^[76]

United States

The United States has seen extensive litigation, investigations, and reforms related to clerical abuse. BishopAccountability.org has documented more than 3,000 civil lawsuits, with settlements exceeding 3 billion dollars since 1950. ^{[51] [77]} Numerous dioceses, including those in Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Louisville, Boston, and Dallas, have reached major settlements or filed for bankruptcy in response to large numbers of claims. ^{[78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83]}

Public awareness increased in the 1980s following cases such as that of Louisiana priest Gilbert Gauthe, who pleaded guilty in 1985 to multiple counts of child molestation. ^[84] National attention intensified in 2002 with The Boston Globe's reporting, which revealed widespread abuse and prompted additional lawsuits, criminal cases, and policy reforms. ^{[9] [85] [86] [87]}

Subsequent high-profile cases included the conviction of Minnesota priest Curtis Wehmeyer in 2011, the 2018 resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick following allegations of abuse, ^[1] and a Pennsylvania grand jury report identifying more than 300 accused priests over several decades. ^{[88] [89]}

In 2017, the release of The Keepers renewed allegations that the Archdiocese of Baltimore had concealed abuse by Rev. A. Joseph Maskell; ^[90] a 2023 report from Maryland Attorney General later identified more than 600 victims of clergy abuse over the past 80 years, with the archdiocese stating that it was "firmly committed to holding suspected abusers accountable". ^{[91] [92] [93]} That same year, the archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a step that paused ongoing lawsuits and moved all claims into the bankruptcy process. ^[94]

In 2019, Archbishop Anthony Apuron of Guam was removed from office after being found guilty in a canonical trial of abusing minors in the 1970s. ^[95] Additional cases have continued to emerge, including a 2023 lawsuit in Colorado alleged more than one hundred instances of abuse at a single parish. ^[96]

South America

In Argentina, priest Julio César Grassi was sentenced in 2009 to fifteen years in prison for abusing minors. In 2019, Bishop Sergio Buenanueva publicly acknowledged the Church's history of abuse, while former priest Carlos Eduardo José was cleared of charges that year due to the statute of limitations, despite multiple complaints ^{[97] [98] [99]}

In Bolivia, renewed scrutiny followed the 2023 disclosure that former priest Alfonso Pedrajas had written in his diary about abusing dozens of children in the 1970s and 1980s. Pope Francis subsequently sent Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu to investigate. Earlier cases included the 2013 arrest of a priest accused of assaulting seminary students. ^{[100] [101]}

In Chile, allegations involving Father Fernado Karadima and concerns about a cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros led to a major Vatican investigation in 2018. ^{[102] [103]} After receiving Archbishop Charles Scicluna's report, Pope Francis acknowledged errors in assessing the situation ^{[104] [105]} Numerous bishops offered their resignations, several were accepted, and Karadima and other senior clerics were laicized. ^{[106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113]} Additional inquiries were later opened, including one involving Archbishop Bernardino Piñera. ^{[114] [115] [116]}

In Columbia, investigations in 2021 and 2022 identified numerous priests accused of abuse in Medellín and Villavicencio, though relatively few cases resulted in criminal convictions. In 2020, the Constitutional Court ordered the Church to release internal complaint files, but full compliance has not yet been achieved. ^{[117] [118] [119] [120] [121]}

Asia

In East Timor, former priest Richard Daschbach was convicted in 2021 of sexually abusing girls over several decades. ^[122] In 2022, allegations of sexual abuse against Bishop Ximenes Belo were reported in De Groene Amsterdammer . ^[123]

In India, scholars have noted that many allegations remained unreported or do not progress to formal charges. ^[16] Several high-profile cases have emerged, including the 2014 arrest of priest Raju Kokkan in Kerela, the 2017 conviction of Father Robin Vadakkumchery for raping a minor, and the 2018 arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was acquitted in 2022 before retiring in 2023. ^{[124] [125] [126] [127]} Additional controversies have arisen over the reassignment of clergy previously convicted or investigated for abuse. ^{[128] [129] [130] [131]}

In Singapore, author Jane Leigh alleged in a 2013 autobiography that she had been abused by priests as a teenager, prompting a Church inquiry. ^[132] In 2022, a member of a Catholic order was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing two boys, and his superior received a police advisory for failing to report the offenses. ^{[133] [134]}

Europe

In Austria, a 2010 report documented physical, sexual, and emotional abuse by 422 alleged perpetrators, most of whom were priests. ^{[135] [136]} In 1995, Austrian Cardinal Hans Hermann Groër resigned as Archbishop of Vienna following allegations of abuse. ^[137]

In Belgium, police raided Church offices in 2010 due to an investigation into abuse allegations following Bishop Roger Vangheluwe's resignation, as he admitted to molestation. The Vatican protested the raids, and a court later ruled them illegal. ^{[138] [139] [140]}

In Croatia, three priests were convicted in separate cases in the Archdioceses of Zagreb, Rijeka, and Zadar between 2000 and 2012. ^{[141] [142] [143] [144] [145] [146]}

In France, Archbishop Philippe Barbarin was convicted in 2019 for failing to report abuse by priest Bernard Preynat, although the conviction was later overturned; Pope Francis accepted his resignation in 2020. ^{[147] [148] [149] [150] [151]} Preynat was laicized and later sentenced to five years in prison. ^{[152] [153]} An independent commission reported in 2021 that an estimated 3,000 clergy and religious personnel had abused approximately 216,000 children since 1950, with the total rising to about 330,000 when including lay Church employees. ^{[154] [155] [156] [157]} Former nuncio Luigi Ventura also received a suspended sentence in 2020 for sexual harassment. ^[158]

In Germany, a 2018 Church-commissioned study found that 3,677 minors had been abused by clergy between 1964 and 2014, ^[159] and a 2020 report identified more than 1,400 additional accusations involving members of religious orders. ^[160] In 2021, Cardinal Reinhard Marx offered his resignation, citing institutional failures, though Pope Francis declined to accept it. ^{[161] [162]}

In Italy, the justice system handled about 300 cases of clergy abuse with around 150 to 170 convictions. ^{[163] [164]}

In Norway, after revelations by Norwegian newspaper Adresseavisen, the Norwegian Church and the Vatican acknowledged bishop Georg Müller resigned in 2009 due to discoveries about his abuse of an altar boy two decades earlier; they were made aware of the incident, but did not alert the authorities, and the law did not allow criminal prosecution. ^{[165] [166]}

In Portugal, priest Frederico Cunha was convicted for the murder of 15-year-old Luís Correia, and four witnesses told the court that they were sexually abused by the priest. ^{[167] [168]} Bishop Teodoro de Faria protested the detention, described Cunha as "innocent like Jesus Christ." ^[169] Cunha also said that he was a victim of injustice. In April 1988, Cunha escaped to Rio de Janeiro, and the sentence expired on 8 April 2018. ^{[167] [168]} A February 2023 report revealed that at least 4,815 children had been sexually abused by Portugal clergy since 1950. ^{[170] [171]}

Ireland

Beginning in the 1990s, a series of criminal cases and state inquires in Ireland documented widespread abuse over several decades. State investigations found that tens of thousands of children suffered abuse in Church-run institutions from the 1940s to the 1990s. ^[172] Reports also concluded that senior clergy had, in many instances, reassigned accused priests to new parishes rather than removing them from ministry.

Several high-profile cases drew national attention. Micheál Ledwith resigned as President of St Patrick's College, Maynooth in 1994 following allegations of misconduct, and the 2005 McCullough Report criticized the inadequate response of Church authorities. ^[173] Father Brendan Smyth was found to have abused children in Ireland and the United States between 1945 and 1989, and controversy over his extradition contributed to the collapse of the Irish government in 1994. ^{[174] [175]} In 2010, Dublin priest Tony Walsh received a lengthy sentence for multiple offenses committed in the 1970s and 1980s. ^{[176] [177]}

By 2011, six priests had been convicted in cases reviewed by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church. ^{[178] [179]} A 2018 list reported more than 1,300 clergy accused of abuse, with 82 convictions. ^{[180] [181]} In 2020, an independent review found that the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland and the Scout Association had, over several decades, failed to act on allegations involving 275 known or suspected abusers. ^[182]

In Northern Ireland, the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, which began in 2014, examined sexual and physical abuse of children in various institutions between 1922 and 1995, including both Catholic and non-Catholic homes. The De La Salle Brothers and the Sisters of Nazareth admitted to physical and sexual abuse in institutions they operated and issues apologies to victims. ^{[183] [184]} A 2017 report found that local police, who had also inadequately investigated abuse at the non-Catholic Kincora Boys' Home, had helped Catholic officials conceal reported abuse in four-Catholic run boys' homes in Belfast, which recorded the highest levels of abuse among the 22 institutions investigated. ^{[185] [186] [187] [188]}

Poland

In Poland, the public became concerned about reports of child sex abuse scandals and the poor response to it by the Polish Catholic Church. The Polish Church resisted paying compensation to victims and refused to publish sexual abuse data. ^{[189] [190] [191]} Bishop Antoni Dydycz said priests should not rush to report abuse due to the seal of confession barring revealing confessions. ^[192]

In September 2018, Bishop Romuald Kamiński apologized to victims, and said leaders were working on a document addressing abuse, the scale of it, and prevention. ^[193] In early 2019, the document was still not public. ^[193] In October 2018, a group of victims mapped out 255 cases of alleged sexual abuse in Poland. ^[194]

In April 2019, the Episcopal Conference of Poland released data from 10,000 local parishes, finding abuse reports on 382 priests and 625 children sexually abused. Some commentors said that it could be an undercount of the actual numbers. With pressures from the Vatican, the Polish Church apologized and accepted the need to report abuses. In earlier cases, clergy were not required to notify the police, but only investigate themselves, and if necessary, inform the Vatican about the sexual abuse of minors. ^[195]

By May 2019, Polak issued an apology as the documentary Tell No One, which presented multiple accounts of clerical abuse, drew millions of viewers online. ^{[196] [197]} The film highlighted cases such as Father Jan A., who admitted to abusing minors, and raised concerns about priests continuing to work with young people despite prior convictions. ^[196] In response, the Polish government increased penalties for child sexual abuse and raised the age of consent from 15 to 16. ^{[197] [198]} In June 2020, Pope Francis removed Bishop Edward Janiak from oversight of the Diocese of Kalisz while he was under investigation for protecting abusive priests, later accepting his resignation. ^{[199] [200]} Allegations also emerged involving Rev. Franciszek Cybula, former chaplain to Lech Wałęsa. ^[201] In August 2020, Pope Francis removed Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głódź, who had been accused of mishandling abuse cases linked to both priests. ^[202]

In November 2020, the Vatican sanctioned Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz after an investigation into abuse allegations, barring him from public ministry and denying him cathedral burial rites. He died shortly afterward. ^{[203] [204] [205]}

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Cardinal Keith O'Brien resigned in 2013 due to allegations of inappropriate and predatory sexual conduct with priests and seminarians. ^[206] In 2020, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse released a report stating that the England and Wales churches covered up allegations, as there was "no acknowledgement of any personality responsibility" by Vincent Nichols, a cardinal and the senior cleric in England and Wales since 2014. The report said he lacked compassion and cared more about the Church's reputation than the victims. ^[207]

Oceania

The Catholic Church in Australia has faced extensive criticism for its handling of child sexual abuse cases. ^[208] By 2011, more than one hundred priests had been charged, and by 2017 the Church had paid the equivalent of 276 million dollars in compensation to thousands of victims. ^{[209] [210]} Inquiries found that some Church officials, including Cardinal George Pell, had been aware of abuse for decades and failed to act appropriately. ^{[39] [211] [212] [213]} Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI issued apologies for the abuse in Australia. ^{[208] [214]}

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse reported that seven percent of Catholic priests in Australia were "alleged perpetrators", and that nearly half of Catholic institutions examined had recorded cases of abuse. ^{[215] [216]} The commission documented 4,756 allegations from 4,444 victims involving 1,800 accused individuals, most of whom were priests or religious brothers. ^{[217] [218]} Survivors, including Amber Louise, criticized the Church's internal "Towards Healing" ^[219] process for delaying or mishandling complaints. ^[220] In 2019, the Church adopted National Catholic Safeguarding Standards aligned with the commission's recommendations. ^[221]

In 2019, former priest Vincent Ryan received an additional prison sentence for offenses committed against altar boys. ^[222] In 2020, Queensland enacted legislation requiring clergy to report child sexual abuse disclosed in confession, with deep penalties for noncompliance. ^{[223] [224]} That same year, the Royal Commission found that the Church had failed to act on earlier complaints against Marist Brother Thomas Butler, prompting an apology from the order's leadership. ^{[225] [182]}

Consequences

Government and international levels

Governments, international bodies, and individuals have undertaken a wide range of inquiries and legal actions in response to clerical sexual abuse. Accused clergy had varied outcomes, such as resignation, laicization, imprisonment, or supervised residence when canonical removal was not possible. ^[226]

In Ireland, as an example, the State issued its first formal apology in 1999, acknowledging failures to protect children in Church-run institutions. ^[175] A major inquiry completed in 2009 documented widespread physical and sexual abuse across more than 250 institutions and found that government inspectors had not intervened to stop systematic mistreatment. ^{[227] [228] [229]} Subsequent investigations, including the Ferns Report and the Murphy Report, concluded that both Church and State structures had facilitated cover-ups by failing to report allegations to civil authorities. ^[230]

At the international level, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child reported in 2014 that the Holy See had not taken sufficient measures to address clerical abuse and had adopted practices that contributed to impunity ^[231] ; a joint statement asserted that "cases of child sexual abuse have hardly ever been reported" because of a binding "code of silence imposed on all members" with the "penalty of excommunication" imposed. ^[232] The committee found that abusive clergy were often reassigned without police notification, that bishops were not required to report allegations to civil authorities, and that some known offenders retained access to children. ^[232] The report prompted global debate about transparency within Church governance; although the report addressed issues beyond abuse, it increased pressure on the Vatican to strengthen reporting protocols and institutional safeguards. ^[233]

In 2014, the Holy See reported to the United Nations Committee against Torture that 3,420 cases of abuse involving minors had been investigated over the previous decade and that 884 priests had been removed from ministry. ^[234] The United States has the highest number of reported cases, ^[235] followed by Ireland, ^[36] with significant numbers also documented in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. ^[236] In 2017, Pope Francis acknowledged a backlog of approximately 2,000 cases awaiting review. ^[237]

Civil lawsuits and institutional consequences

Numerous dioceses in the United States have faced large civil settlements related to clerical abuse; major agreements included 25.7 million dollars paid by the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2003, 85 million dollars paid by the Archdiocese of Boston that same year, and settlements in Portland, Seattle, and Denver between 2007 and 2008 totaling more than 125 million dollars. ^{[238] [239] [240] [241] [242]} Several dioceses, including Tucson, Spokane, Portland, Davenport, and San Diego, sought bankruptcy protection in response to large numbers of claims, and by 2011 eight dioceses had filed for bankruptcy. ^{[79] [83]}

The financial impact on the Church grew rapidly, with total costs rising from an estimated 500 million dollars in the late 1990s to more than 2.6 billion dollars by 2009 ^[243] ; this included jury awards, settlements, and legal fees. In 2007 alone, Catholic institutions spent approximately 615 million dollars on abuse-related expenses, leading some dioceses to reduce operating budgets, close properties, and transfer assets to reduce available funds for compensation after bankruptcy. Some of these transfers received approval from the Vatican. ^{[244] [245] [246] [247] [9]}

After Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston in 2002 after documents indicated he had failed to address abuse in the archdiocese, his successor, Archbishop Seán P. O'Malley, oversaw the sale of archdiocesan properties to help fund settlements. ^[248]

Comparison to other institutions

A 2002 report by Christian Ministry Resources found that allegations of child sexual abuse were more numerous in Protestant congregations than in Catholic ones, and that most offenders in Protestant settings were volunteers rather than clergy. ^[31]

Data from Australia's Royal Commission showed 4,445 allegations involving the Catholic Church between 1950 and 2015, while Gerald Henderson noted 2,504 allegations involving the Uniting Church between 1977 and 3017, adding that earlier cases from predecessor denominations were not included and that "allegations against the Jehovah's Witness religion, on a per capita basis, are dramatically higher than for either the Catholic or the United churches". ^[29]

An investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution observed parallels between institutional responses in religious and medial settings, where abuse by trusted professionals was often treated as an internal matter and kept from public view. ^{[249] [250]}

Research has found that sexual misconduct in educational settings is more prevalent than in religious institutions; in 2002, Charol Shakeshaft reported that abuse in schools occurs at significantly higher rates than in churches, and Ernie Allen of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children stated that "we don't see the Catholic Church as a hotbed of this" or as one with a bigger issue than others. ^[251] A 2017 Department of Justice-funded study estimated that up to 10 percent of K-12 students "will experience sexual misconduct by a school employee" before graduation. ^[252] A 2019 analysis in Juris Magazine concluded that abuse by public school teachers occurs at proportionally higher rates than abuse by Catholic priests and noted that reported cases involving priests have declined markedly since 2002 following the implementation of new safeguarding measures. ^[251]

Debate over causes

Scholars, Church officials, and other commentors have proposed multiple contributing factors to clerical abuse, but no single cause has been universally accepted. Suggested explanations include clerical celibacy, failures by Church authorities to disclose allegations, debates about the relationship between sexuality and abuse, excessive reliance on inadequate psychological guidance, moral relativism, pedophilia and ephebophilia, shortages of clergy, declining cultural standards, insufficient seminary formation, and the male-dominated structure of the Church.

A 2004 study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops found that between 1950 and 2002, 4,392 priests and deacons had been plausibly accused of abusing 10,667 minors, representing about four percent of clergy active during that period. Experts have noted that this figure is similar to estimates for the general adult male population. ^{[253] [254] [255] [256]}

Clerical celibacy

Some writers and theologians, including Christoph Schönborn and Hans Küng, have suggested that mandatory celibacy may play a role. ^{[257] [258]} However, Philip Jenkins has argued that the available data indicates hardly any evidence that celibate clergy "are any more likely to be involved in misconduct or abuse than clergy of any other denomination". ^[259] Ernie Allen also said that "we don't see the Catholic Church as a hotbed of this" more than other "cases in many religious settings". ^[260]

Failure to disclose

A recurring criticism is that Church authorities often failed to report abusive clergy to civil authorities and instead reassigned them to new parishes. ^[261] Confessional secrecy complicates reporting; under canon law, priests may not disclose information revealed in confession, and several Australian archbishops told the Royal Commission that "they would not report... a colleague who admitted in the confessional to child rape". ^{[261] [262]} In many jurisdictions, civil law also recognizes confessional privilege.

On 29 December 2019, several reports stated that numerous bishops in the United States had omitted hundreds of names from their publicly released lists of clergy accused of sexual abuse. ^{[263] [264] [265]} On 6 March 2020, a joint investigation by ProPublica and the Houston Chronicle reported that more than fifty Catholic clergy in the United States who had been credibly accused of sexual abuse were subsequently transferred to other countries after allegations were made. ^[266]

Gay priests and homosexuality

In the United States, the John Jay Report found that around 81% of the victims were male, and a study by Thomas Plante suggest it may be as high as 90%. ^{[267] [268]} Many commentors have suggested that homosexuality within the Church is linked to abuse, although evidence suggests otherwise. ^{[269] [270] [271]} Research suggests a majority of abusers identify as heterosexual, and the John Jay Institute found "no statistical support" for sexual identity and abuse of minors. ^{[272] [273]} The New York Times also reported that the "abuse decreased as more gay priests began serving the church." ^[274]

Impact of psychology

During the mid-twentieth century, many bishops relied on prevailing psychological abuse that offenders could be treated and safely returned to ministry. Psychologist Thomas Plante noted that research on sexual abuse did not "emerge until the early 1980s"; thus, reassigning these men to their priestly duties "appeared reasonable", which "was a tragic mistake" in hindsight. ^{[275] [254]} Robert Bennett of the National Review Board identified excessive reliance on psychiatrists as a major failure; 40 percent of abusive priests received counseling before reassignment. ^{[276] [277]}

Moral relativism

In 2019, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI published a letter suggesting a chief reason for the sexual abuse crisis was the belief that nothing was "an absolute good" anymore and that nothing was "fundamentally evil," so priests were left to make "only relative value judgments". ^[278]

Pedophilia and ephebophilia

Research has examined whether most clerical abuse involves pedophilia or ephebophilia. Studies by Cimbolic, Cartor, and Tallon found that only a small percentage of offenders met clinical criteria for pedophilia, while a larger share targeted post-pubescent adolescents. ^{[279] [280] [281] [282]} Thomas Plante, citing Stephen Joseph Rossetti, reported that only around 2 percent of priests had sexual contact with a minor and that "80 to 90 percent" of cases involving adolescent boys, suggesting ephebophilia was more common than pedophilia. ^[283] The John Jay College's Causes and Context classified relatively few offenders as pedophiles, but critics have criticized a non-standard definition of pre-pubescent; it was ten or under for their report, while thirteen or under was the standard definition. With the standard definition, the numbers for priests increased from 18 percent to 54 percent. ^{[272] [284]}

In 2014, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that around 2 percent of clergy were pedophiles, but the Vatican stated that the interview was neither recorded or transcribed and that the remarks were likely misattributed. ^{[285] [286] [287]}

Shortage of priests

Some commentors have suggested a shortage of priests forced the Church to preserve their number of clergies, despite serious allegations against them. ^[288]

Cultural explanations

Author George Weigel attributed it to a "culture of dissent" within the Church, while Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, later himself laicized due to sexual misconduct, blamed declining morals. ^{[289] [290]} A study by John Jay College suggested that cultural shifts in the 1960s corresponded with rising abuse reports, though critics noted that the data also showed significant cases beginning in the 1950s. ^[291]

Seminary training

The John Jay Report suggested that "poor seminary training and insufficient emotional support for men" were the two core factors for the crisis. ^[292] The National Review Board cited inadequate screening and the preparation hardships of celibacy. Research by Vincent J. Miles has argued that aspects of seminary life in the mid-twentieth century may have increased vulnerability to abuse behavior. ^[284]

Male-dominated Church culture

Lucetta Scaraffia suggested that greater involvement of women in Church governance might have prevented some abuse. ^[258] Other scholars have challenged this view by documenting historical and contemporary cases of abuse committed by nuns, including archival evidence from seventeenth-century Italy and modern surveys reporting victimization by female religious. ^{[293] [294] [295]}

Church response

The Church's response to abuse cases has operated at the diocesan, episcopal conference, and Vatican levels. Historically, individual bishops handled allegations independently, a structure that Thomas Plante described as "a fairly flat" system in which each bishop decided how to respond, sometimes effectively and sometimes "very poorly." ^[255]

For much of the twentieth century, dioceses commonly referred accused priests to psychiatric treatment rather than reporting allegations to law enforcement; 40 percent of accused priests had undergone such treatment nearly. ^[245] Many bishops moved these priests to new parishes, allowing personal contact with children. ^[9] According to the USCCB, earlier bishops viewed abuse as "a spiritual problem... requiring a spiritual solution, i.e. prayer" or a psychological issue rather than a criminal one. ^{[296] [297]} Treatment centers frequently used included Saint Luke Institute, the Servants of the Paraclete facilities, the John Vianney Center, the Institute of Living, and the Southern Institute. ^[298] Paul Isley argued that research on clergy offenders is nonexistent and claims of treatment success lacked empirical support. ^[299]

Following the surge of allegations revealed by The Boston Globe in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a coordinated national policy. John L. Allen Jr. noted that the USCCB called for "swift, sure and final punishment" for guilty clergy, while the Vatican emphasized protecting due process and avoiding "railroading priests who may or may not be guilty." ^[300]

According to the John Jay Report, allegations were often reported decades after the incidents, as there were several systematic failures, including inadequate understanding, avoidance of scandal, reliance on unqualified treatment centers, reassignment of known offenders, and insufficient accountability among bishops. ^{[301] [302]}

In 2019, Pope Francis issued the apostolic letter Communis Vita, which amended Canon Law to require the dismissal of religious members who are absent and unreachable for twelve months, a measure intended to address cases in which clergy disappeared or were transferred without oversight. ^[303]

Prevention efforts and reception

In 2002, the USCCB adopted a zero-tolerance policy and issued the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which committed the Church to creating a "safe environment" for minors. ^[304] The Charter required background checks for Church personnel, mandatory reporting of allegations to civil authorities, internal investigations, and removal of credibly accused clergy. ^[305] By 2008, the Church reported training 5.8 million children in abuse-prevention programs and conducting extensive screening of volunteers and employees. ^[306]

The USCCB's National Review Board requires dioceses to notify civil authorities when a minor is allegedly abused, investigate the claim, and remove from ministry any cleric found guilty or who admits guilt. ^[307] The Board also commissioned John Jay College of Criminal Justice to conduct a comprehensive study on the nature, scope, and financial impact of abuse cases in the U.S. Church, with data collected between March 2003 and February 2004. ^[308]

A 2006 CARA study found strong lay support for reporting allegations to civil authorities (78 percent) and removing credibly accused clergy (76 percent). ^{[309] [310] [311]} In 2005, Kathleen McChesney of the USCCB stated that "what is over is the denial that this problem exists," emphasizing the need for transparency.

The 2011 John Jay Report found a sharp decline in abuse beginning in the 1980s and continuing through the 1990s and 2000s, nothing "continuing very low levels" of new cases in the early twenty-first century. ^{[312] [313]} Most allegations reported today concern incidents from the 1950s and 1960s, and fewer than 2 percent involve priests ordained after 1989. ^{[312] [314]}

In the United Kingdom, the 2001 Lord Nolan recommendations ^[315] became model guidelines for bishop conferences. Each parish would have a "safeguarding officer", a lay person vetting anyone with access to vulnerable persons and also serving as a contact for anyone who had concerns. ^[316]

Diocesan responses

Ireland

In 2009, eighteen religious orders agreed to provide €1.2 billion in compensation to survivors, largely by the sale of Church property, in exchange for confidentiality and limits of future litigation. ^{[317] [318]} In 2001, the Church established the Hussey Commission to review its handling of abuse complaints, and in 2010 opened its own investigation into the Irish Church's response. ^[319]

Philippines

In 2002, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines issued a public apology for clerical misconduct over the previous two decades. Archbishop Orlando Quevo stated that nearly 200 of the country's 7,000 priests may have committed "sexual misconduct including child abuse, homosexuality and affairs." ^[320] In 2011, Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos was criticized for sheltering a priest accused of abusing a minor rather than turning him over to civil or Church authorities. ^{[321] [322]}

Holy See's Response

Vatican observers noted that many American Catholics interpreted the Holy See's initial silence after The Boston Globe investigations as a lack of urgency. John L. Allen Jr. reported, however, that officials in the Roman Curia were "horrified by the revelations" and did not defend the failures in Boston, though they were skeptical of what they viewed as uniquely American media coverage and cultural attitudes toward sexuality, arguing that it was "fueled by anti-Catholicism and shyster lawyers hustling to tap the deep pockets of the church". ^[300] Allen argued that the cultural differences, including reporting hysteria, contributed to delays and caution in the Vatican's public response. ^[300]

Vos estis lux mundi

On 9 May 2019, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi, which requires all clerics and members of religious institutes, including bishops, to report allegations of sexual abuse or cover-ups. ^{[323] [324] [325] [326]} The law mandates that every diocese establish a stable reporting system and that metropolitan archbishops submit regular updates to the Holy See, with investigations completed within ninety days unless granted an extension. ^{[327] [328]} Canon law scholar Kurt Martens described this reform as a "rare gift to the entire church" that helps "bring about a change in attitude and...in law". ^[329]

Instruction on the confidentiality of legal proceedings

On 17 December 2019, Pope Francis issued the instruction On the confidentiality of legal proceedings, which removed the pontifical secret from cases involving sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable persons, abuse of authority to coerce sexual acts, and the concealment of such crimes. ^[330]

The instruction requires that trial materials remain secure and confidential to protect the privacy and reputation of those involved. Archbishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta clarified that lifting the pontifical secret "does not mean that it provides the freedom to make [information] public," but allows appropriate sharing with authorities. The sacramental seal of confession remains full intact. ^[331]

The document states that professional secrecy must not prevent compliance with civil laws, including mandatory reporting and court orders. Giuseppe Dalla Torre noted that removing papal secrecy "promot[es] full cooperation with the civil authorities" while respecting the boundaries between civil and canonical jurisdictions. ^[332]

Archbishop Charles Scicluna explained that trial documents are "not public domain" but may be shared with "authorities who have a statutory jurisdiction over the matter", following "formalities of international law". ^[333] Dalla Torre emphasized that the instruction is "an internal act of the Church" and thus does not override state law; cooperation with civil authorities depends on each country's legal system and, when necessary, formal judicial cooperation such as letters rogatory. ^[332]

Responses by years

1962-2001

The Holy Office issued Crimen sollicitationis , which set procedures for handling cases in which clerics used the confessional to make sexual advances. ^[334] The same procedures were applied to accusations of homosexual, pedophilic, or zoophilic acts by clergy. The document also reiterated automatic excommunication for failing to report solicitation in confession within one month. ^[335]

The revised Code of Canon Law explicitly defined sexual acts with minors by clerics as a canonical crime punishable by dismissal from the clerical state (canon 1395, §2). ^[336] According to De delictis gravioribus, Crimen sollicitationis remained in force until 2001. ^{[337] [338]}

Pope John Paul II's Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela classified sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric as a delictum gravius and placed all such cases under the authority of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which could impose penalties up to dismissal. ^{[309] [339] [340] [341] [342]} . A CDF guide clarified that dioceses must investigative allegations, follow civil reporting laws, and refer cases with any "semblance of truth" to the CDF. Bishops retained authority to restrict a priest's ministry to protect minors. ^{[343] [344] [345]}

2002-2009

The Vatican required background checks for all Church personnel in the United States who work with children. By the year, millions of volunteers and employees, along with tens of thousands of clerics and seminarians, had been screened. ^{[305] [346]} The USCCB also adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. ^[347]

Pope John Paul II stated that there is no place for Church personnel "who would harm the young". ^[348] A Vatican conference featuring external psychiatric experts expressed concern about rigid "zero-tolerance" policies, with one expert calling them a case of overkill" due to them having no flexibility. ^[309]

A lawsuit filed in Kentucky accused the Vatican of covering up abuse dating back to 1928. ^[349]

In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI was named in a U.S. lawsuit alleging involvement in covering up abuse by a priest in Texas; he obtained immunity as head of the state of the Holy See. ^{[350] [351]} That same year, the Vatican issued Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation for Persons with Homosexual Tendencies , which barred the ordination of men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies." ^[352] The document was widely viewed in the context of the abuse crisis and drew criticism from some Catholic groups for appearing to link homosexuality with abuse, while the U.S. National Review Board highlighted the predominance of adolescent male victims in its analysis. ^{[352] [353] [354] [355]}

In 2007, Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, secretary of Congregation for Clergy, raised questions about the rehabilitation and risk assessment of offenders; he asked what methods of treatment are effective and how to identify those at risk of offending, ^[356] observing that many priests who had never been accused felt a "sense of groom" and believed their rights were not adequately protected. He also noted that "there have been more than a few suicides among accused priests." ^[309]

In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI admitted that he was "deeply ashamed", pledging that pedophiles would not be priests, and also apologized for the Australian child abuse scandals. ^{[357] [358]} During that same year, a United States Court of Appeals in Cincinnati denied the Vatican's claim of sovereign immunity, allowing a lawsuit by three men claiming sexual abuse. The Vatican did not appeal the ruling. ^[359]

In 2009, researchers reported that clerical abuse cases had "steeply declined" after 1985 and that Church responses had shifted over several decades, with suspension becoming more common than reinstatement. ^[360] That same year, in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council, Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi said most abusive clergy should be described as exhibiting "ephebophilia," a homosexual attraction to adolescent boys, and claimed that "80 to 90%" of abusive priests fell into this category. ^[28]

Margaret Smith and Karen Terry, researchers for the John Jay Report, cautioned that equating abuse of boys with homosexuality was "an unwarranted conclusion," noting that participation in same-sex acts is not the same as a gay sexual identity and that their data did not show a link between homosexual identity and a higher likelihood of abuse. ^[271] Moreover, empirical studies similarly find that sexual orientation does not determine the risk of abusing children and that many child molesters cannot be classified by an adult sexual orientation. ^{[361] [362] [363]}

2010-2014

In April 2010, following intense public criticism, the Vatican faced heightened scrutiny. During a visit to Chile, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone linked clerical abuse to homosexuality, prompting widespread criticism. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi clarified that Bertone's remark exceeded the scope of Church authority and noted that about 10 percent of cases involved pedophilia in the strict sense, while most involved adolescents. ^{[364] [365] [366]} Giovanni Maria Vian, editor of L’Osservatore Romano, argued that some media criticism reflected commercial motives "to sell newspapers." ^[367] Pope Benedict XVI stated that the Church "must do penance for abuse cases." ^[368]

Msgr. Charles Scicluna explained that few cases reached the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) before 1985; thus, jurisdictional uncertainty followed the 1983 Code of Canon Law. He noted that after the 2001 motu proprio, the CDF handled approximately "three thousand cases of diocesan and religious priests" involving crimes "committed over the last fifty years." ^{[339] [340]}

In March 2010, Pope Benedict issued a pastoral letter to abuse survivors in Ireland, stating that "nothing can undo the wrong you have endured" with trust betrayed and "dignity violated." ^[369] Critics argued that his letter did not address systematic issues within the Church. ^[19] In June 2010, the Vatican extended the statute of limitations for canonical trials involving minors and streamlined procedures for removing abusive clergy, although some observers viewed the global norms as less stringent than existing U.S. policies. ^{[370] [371] [372] [373]}

In 2011, the Vatican published new guidelines, mandating clergy and religious orders to develop "clear and coordinated" procedures for sexual abuse allegations by 2012. The guidelines instructed bishops to cooperate with the police, respect local laws; however, reporting was not mandatory and authority of the bishops in dealing with abuse cases was retained. Critics criticized these new guidelines as insufficient, suggesting that they do not provide "specific enforcement mechanisms." ^{[374] [375]}

On 22 March 2014, Pope Francis created the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to advise on safeguarding policies, appointing Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley as its head. In November 2014, Pope Francis laicized and excommunicated Argentine priest José Mercau following confirmed abuse. ^{[376] [377]}

2018-present

At the beginning of 2018, Pope Francis initially rejected reports of widespread clerical abuse in Chile. Following public outcry, he ordered an investigation that resulted in all Chilean bishops submitting their resignations, although only some were ultimately accepted. ^[378]

Later that year, as abuse scandals emerged in several countries, including a Pennsylvania report identifying more than 300 priests plausibly accused over five decades, Francis expressed "shame" at the findings, though he did not announce specific disciplinary measures for offenders or those involved in cover-ups. ^[379]

From 21 to 24 February 2019, the Vatican hosted the Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, bringing together the presidents of all episcopal conferences to address global safeguarding standards. ^[23]

On 26 March 2019, Pope Francis introduced three measures: Vatican Law No. CCXCVII on the protection of minors and vulnerable persons, a motu proprio extending these norms to the Roman Curia, and Guidelines for the Vicariate of Vatican City. ^[380] Andrea Tornielli described the documents as "very specific laws" tailored to Vatican City but reflecting "advanced international parameters." ^[381]

Vatican Law No. CCXCVII requires Vatican officials, including Curial staff and diplomatic personnel, to report allegations of abuse. ^{[382] [383] [384]} Penalties for failing to report include fines or, for Vatican gendarmes, imprisonment. ^{[382] [385]} The law allows prosecution ex officio, extends the statute of limitations to twenty years from a victim's eighteenth birthday, and mandates support services for victims through the Vatican's Department of Health and Welfare. ^[386]

The motu proprio extends these obligations to all Curial personnel and requires verification of a candidate's suitability to work with minors during history. ^[386]

The Guidelines for the Vicariate of Vatican City apply to clergy, religious, and educators within Vatican territory. They require that pastoral activities with minors occur in visible settings and prohibit preferential relationships, offensive or suggestive behavior, secrecy requests, and photographing or filming minors without parental consent. The Vicar of Vatican City must report any credible allegation to the Promoter of Justice and remove the accused from ministry as a precaution. ^[386]

Criticisms of the church

The Church, throughout its history, has received multiple criticisms due to the sexual abuse crisis, with different reasons for chastisement; these include a lack of vigilance, not preventing the abuse, the Holy See's denial of canonical competence, lack of transparency, non-removal of the accused, and secrecy among bishops.

Lack of vigilance and failure to prevent abuse

In 2010, the BBC reported that the scandal was driven largely by cover-ups and failures in how Church leaders handled abuse allegations, with particular criticism directed at the actions of some bishops. ^{[15] [387]} That year, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that the Church had not been sufficiently vigilant or prompt in responding to abuse and laicized about 400 priests over a two-year period. ^{[388] [389]}

Representatives of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and the Center for Constitutional Rights argued that Church authorities, including Benedict, had prioritized institutional reputation "over the safety of children" and alleged involvement in covering up crimes. ^{[388] [390]}

Abuse survivor Mary Dispenza has contended that abuse still "lives on today" and that "pedophiles are still in the priesthood" as bishops are "refus[ing] to turn over information to the criminal justice system" with cases becoming stalled. She called for decisive action by Pope Francis and the bishops to ensure that child safety takes precedence over protecting clergy or the Church's image. ^[391]

In June 2021, United Nations special rapporteurs criticized the Vatican for what they described as insufficient cooperation with national judicial authorities and inadequate mechanisms for accountability and redress. ^[392]

Holy See's denial of canonical competence

A Vatican spokesman stated that cases involving national churches did not fall under the direct "competence of the Holy See." ^[393] Critics, including James Carroll of The Boston Globe, argued that this position conflicted with canons 331 and 333 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which affirm the pope's "full, immediate, and universal" authority over the Church. ^[393]

Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's representative to the United Nations, maintained that abusive priests were not accountable to "their own states... fall[ing] under the jurisdiction of their own country". A UN report disagreed, noting that priests are "bound by obedience to the pope" and urging the Vatican to require reporting to civil authorities and to end a "code of silence" that discouraged whistleblowers. ^[394]

Lack of transparency in the doctrinal congregation

Critics have argued that assigning abuse cases to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) increased secrecy and slowed responses. David Yallop claimed that the backlog of cases was no large that mere replies could take more than a year. ^[395]

Vatican officials later acknowledged that confidentiality had sometimes been interpreted as discouraging cooperation with civil authorities. In 2010, Cardinal Claudio Hummes stated that abuse by priests constituted "criminal facts" requiring collaboration with civil justice. Scholar Lucetta Scaraffia described past secrecy as a form of omertà and suggested that greater female involvement in Church governance might have reduced it. ^[258]

Crimen sollicitationis and secrecy

The 1962 instruction Crimen sollicitationis, which outlined procedures for handling cases involving misuse of the confessional, was interpreted by some as a directive to keep abuse allegations secret. ^{[396] [338] [397]} Attorney Daniel Shea argued that it demonstrated an "international conspiracy to hush up sex abuse issues". ^[398] The Vatican responded that the document had been misinterpreted and had been superseded by later norms, especially the 1983 Code of Canon Law. ^[399]

Non-removal of accused from church

Rome, 2007. March organized by Facciamo Breccia against the interference of the Catholic Church in Italian Politics. The placard says: If Ratzinger really wants to play inquisitor that much, why doesn't he go deal with his pedophile priests?

The Catholic hierarchy has been criticized for responding too slowly and inconsistency to allegations of clerical sexual misconduct. Cardinal Roger Mahony stated that earlier Church leaders "didn't realize how serious this was," which led to transferring accused priests rather than removing them from ministry. ^[400]

Father Gerald Fitzgerald, founder of the Servants of the Paraclete, was an early critic of returning abusive priests to ministry; he concluded that many offenders could not be rehabilitated and urged bishops and Vatican officials to laicize them after receiving priests who had abused minors. Fitzgerald opposed later efforts to introduce psychological treatment at his center and maintained his position until his death in 1969. ^[401]

Bishop Manuel D. Moreno of Tucson sought for years to have two abusive priests laicized, writing to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1997 after one priest had been suspended and convicted in Church proceedings. Both priests were eventually laicized in 2004. Moreno had been criticized for inaction until his efforts became public. ^[402]

Bishop Blase J. Cupich explained that Fitzgerald's warnings "went largely unheeded" because abusive cases were thought to be rare, his proposals were viewed as extreme, and past psychological research suggested that treatment could allow some offenders to return safely to ministry. Cupich said this was an assumption the bishops "came to regret." ^[401]

In 2010, some critics called for Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, alleging that he had previously blocked efforts to remove an abusive priest. Benedict resigned in 2013, citing declining health. ^{[403] [404]}

In 2012, Monsignor William Lynn of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child for his role in handling abuse allegations, becoming the first U.S. Church official found criminally liable for covering up clerical abuse. ^{[405] [406] [407] [408]}

Secrecy among bishops

The Boston Globe reported that some bishops arranged compensation for victims on the condition that allegations remain confidential. ^[239] In 2009, the Irish Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse concluded that the Dublin Archdiocese had prioritized "secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets" for "at least until the mid-1990s," subordinating "the welfare of children and justice for victims." ^[409]

In 2010, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins called for legal action against Pope Benedict XVI for allegedly covering up abuse. ^{[410] [411]} That same year, a lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court accused Benedict and other Vatican officials of concealing cases to avoid scandal. ^[412] In 2011, two German lawyers submitted a complaint to the International Criminal Court alleging a "strong suspicion" that Benedict, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had protected abusive clergy. ^[413]

Internal disagreements also became public. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn stated that Cardinal Angelo Sodano had blocked an investigation led by then-Cardinal Ratzinger in the mid-1990s. ^[414] In France, Bishop Pierre Pican received a suspended sentence for failing to report an abusive priest; Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos defended Pican and later said he had Pope John Paul II’s approval. ^{[415] [416]} Hoyos and the Congregation for the Clergy were again criticized in 2011 for opposing 1997 Irish guidelines requiring all allegations to be reported to police, which Archbishop Diarmuid Martin described as "disastrous." ^[417]

A 2019 Washington Post investigation reported that former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick had distributed approximately US$600,000 in Church funds to Vatican officials, papal advisers, and two popes beginning in 2001. Some recipients were involved in evaluating misconduct allegations against him. ^[418]

In November 2020, the Holy See’s Secretariat of State released a report on former Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick. The report stated that Pope John Paul II had been informed of allegations against McCarrick but did not find them credible, and that Pope Benedict XVI, despite receiving additional complaints, took limited action to restrict McCarrick’s activities. ^[419] The report concluded that Pope Francis was not responsible for McCarrick’s advancement, and attributed responsibility primarily to decisions made during the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. ^[420]

Media coverage and public perception

Media coverage

Sinéad O'Connor's 1992 protest on Saturday Night Live , in which she tore a photograph of Pope John Paul II, drew both strong criticism and support. Although it harmed her career at the time, the act received renewed attention as public awareness of abuse and institutional concealment increased. ^{[421] [422]}

Extensive media reporting has played a central role in exposing abuse within the Catholic Church. In 2002, revelations of widespread abuse in the United States received sustained coverage; The New York Times published 255 articles in the first 100 days, with 26 front-page stories. ^[423] The Boston Globe's investigation, led by Walter V. Robinson, earned the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. ^{[424] [425]} In Ireland, television journalism similarly increased public awareness of systemic abuse. ^[426] The BBC documentary Sex Crimes and the Vatican highlighted claims about secrecy in Church procedures and referenced the 2005 Ferns Report. ^[427]

A Pew Research Center study found that media attention in 2002 focused primarily on the United States, and by 2018 had shifted largely to Europe. ^{[12] [13]}

Accusations of biased or disproportionate coverage

Some commentors argue that intense media focus has created a public perception that abuse is more prevalent among Catholic clergy than data supports. A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll found that 64 percent of respondents believed Catholic priests "frequently" abused children, despite research showing no higher rate of offending among priests compared with other adult men. ^[428] Philip Jenkins described some coverage as "a gross efflorescence of anti-Catholic rhetoric." ^[429]

Tom Hoopes noted that in early 2002, 61 major California newspapers published more than 2,000 stories on Catholic abuse cases but only four on a larger, ongoing abuse problem in public schools. ^[430] Psychologist Thomas Plante similarly observed that media attention has contributed to misconceptions, although he noted that the Church's historical defensive posture and arrogance may have intensified scrutiny. ^[283]

Publications

Numerous memoirs and nonfiction works address abuse and its aftermath, including Andrew Madden's Altar Boy, Carolyn Lehman's Strong at the Heart, Larry Kelly's The Pigeon House, and Kathy O'Beirne's Kathy's Story. Journalist Ed West has questioned the accuracy of O'Beirne's account, citing Hermann Kelly's Kathy's Real Story. ^[431]

Films and documentaries

Abuse in Church-run institutions has been depicted in several films and documentaries. The Magdalene Sisters (2002) dramatized abuses in Irish Magdalene laundries. Deliver Us From Evil (2006) examined the case of a single abusive priest and institutional responses. Earlier, the Irish documentary Suffer the Children (1994) addressed similar issues. A regularly updated list of related films and documentaries is maintained in the "Literature List Clergy Sexual Abuse." ^[432]

List of related topics

Sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church

• Settlements and bankruptcies in Catholic sex abuse cases
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases by country
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Australia
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Belgium
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Canada
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Dublin
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Europe
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in the English Benedictine Congregation
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Ireland
• Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in New Zealand
• Catholic Church sex abuse cases in the United States

Sexual abuse cases in other Christian denominations

• Anglican Communion sexual abuse cases
• Jehovah's Witnesses' handling of child sex abuse
• Mormon abuse cases
• Sexual abuse scandal in Southern Baptist churches

Critique & consequences related topics

• Criticism of Pope John Paul II
• Debate on the causes of clerical child abuse
• Ecclesiastical response to Catholic sexual abuse cases
• Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with Regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in View of Their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders
• Media coverage of Catholic sex abuse cases
• Sex Crimes and the Vatican , a BBC documentary
• Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Investigation, prevention and victim support topics

• Broken Rites Australia, a support and advocacy group in Australia
• National Review Board, USA
• National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, UK
• Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
• Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity , a peer-reviewed journal on prevention & treatment
• Virtus (program), a church initiative in the USA
• Vos estis lux mundi, a church procedure for combating sexual abuse

See also

• Crime portal
• Human sexuality portal
• Catholicism portal

• Child abuse in Quranic schools
• Christianity and homosexuality
• Clerical celibacy
• Homosexuality and religion
• Pontifical secret
• Religious abuse
• Sexual abuse cases in Southern Baptist churches
• Spiritual abuse

References

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2. "Comunicato della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede" [Press Release of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]. Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (Press release) (in Italian and English). Vatican City. 16 February 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
3. Burton, Tara Isabella (24 August 2018). "New Catholic sex abuse allegations show how long justice can take in a 16-year scandal". Vox . Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
4. The Associated Press (19 June 2004). "Accused priests shuffled worldwide". USA Today . Dallas, Texas: Gannett. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
5. Stephens, Scott (27 May 2011). "Catholic sexual abuse study greeted with incurious contempt". ABC Religion & Ethics . Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
6. Lattin, Don (17 July 1998). "$30 Million Awarded Men Molested by 'Family Priest' / 3 bishops accused of Stockton coverup". San Francisco Chronicle . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024. Attorney Jeff Anderson said the Howard brothers were repeatedly molested between 1978 and 1991, from age 3 to 13.
7. "Stoke Industrial School, Nelson (Report of Royal Commission On, Together with Correspondence, Evidence, and Appendix)". The Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 2 (Session I, E-03b). National Library of New Zealand: 6. 1900. Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
8. Lehner, Ulrich L. (1 March 2015). Mönche und Nonnen im Klosterkerker: Ein Verdrängtes Kapitel Kirchengeschichte[Monks and Nuns in the Monastery Dungeon: A Suppressed Chapter of Church History] (in German). Kevelaer, Germany: Topos Plus. ISBN   978-3-836-71004-6.
9. Bruni, Frank; Burkett, Elinor (1993). A Gospel of Shame: Children, Sexual Abuse, and the Catholic Church. Viking Press. ISBN   978-0-060-52232-2 . Retrieved 15 October 2024.
10. The Associated Press (29 June 2010). "Sex abuse victim accuses Catholic church of fraud". USA Today . Los Angeles, California: Gannett. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
11. Moore, Chris (1995). Betrayal of Trust: The Father Brendan Smyth Affair and the Catholic Church. Marino. ISBN   978-1-860-23027-1.
12. "The Pope Meets the Press: Media Coverage of the Clergy Abuse Scandal". The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life . The Pew Charitable Trusts. 11 June 2010. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
13. Wan, William (11 June 2010). "Study looks at media coverage of Catholic sex abuse scandal". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
14. • In Ireland, a 2009 report (Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse) covered cases during a span of six decades (from the 1950s), noting "endemic" sexual abuse in Catholic boys' institutions, with church leaders aware of the abuse, and government inspectors failing to "stop beatings, rapes and humiliation".( "Police examine sex abuse report: The commission's report on church abuse ran to five volumes Police in the Irish Republic are examining if criminal charges can be brought over a damning report on child sex abuse at Catholic institutions". BBC News . 25 May 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2012.)
    • In Australia, according to Broken Rites, a support and advocacy group for church-related sex abuse victims, as of 2011 ^[update] there were over one hundred cases in which Catholic priests were charged for child sex offenses.( "Black Collar Crime in Australia". Broken Rites. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.)(Campbell, James (29 August 2010). "Church must face scrutiny for child sex abuse". Sunday Herald Sun. Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2011.) A 2012 police report detailed 40 suicide deaths directly related to abuse by Catholic clergy in the state of Victoria.(Baker, Richard; Lee, Jane; McKenzie, Nick (13 April 2012). "Church's suicide victims". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.)
    • Of the Catholic sexual abuse cases in Latin America, the most famous is arguably of the sexual scandal of Father Marcial Maciel, the leader of the Legion of Christ, a Roman Catholic congregation of pontifical right made up of priests and seminarians studying for the priesthood.( "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.) This occurred after the Legion spent more than a decade denying allegations and criticizing the victims who claimed abuse.( "Money paved way for Maciel's influence in the Vatican". National Catholic Reporter. April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2023.)
    • In Tanzania, Father Kit Cunningham, together with three other priests, was exposed as a pedophile after his death.
      • "Abused: Breaking the Silence (2011) : Documentary". Digiguide.tv. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
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Further reading

• Comissão Independente para o Estudo dos Abusos Sexuais de Crianças na Igreja Católica Portuguesa (February 2023). Relatório Final (PDF) (in Portuguese). CI.
• Erlandson, Gregory & Bunson, Matthew, Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis (OSV, 2010)
• Groeschel, F. Benedict, From Scandal to Hope (OSV, 2002)
• Berry, Jason and Gerald Renner. Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II (Free Press: 2004) ISBN   0-7432-4441-9
• Jenkins, Philip, Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis (Oxford University Press, 2001). ISBN   0-19-514597-6.
• Ranan, David, Double Cross: The Code of the Catholic Church (Theo Press Ltd., 2007) ISBN   978-0-9554133-0-8.
• Ivereigh & Griffin: Catholic Voices, (Darton Longman and Todd, 2010) ISBN   978-0-232-52863-3
• Ulrich L. Lehner Monastic Prisons and Torture Chambers. (Wipf and Stock, 2013) ISBN   978-1625640406 A history of abuse and practices of cover up in the 16th, 17th and 18th c.

External links

• Holy See (Vatican): Abuse of minors. The church's response.
• The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). November 2020.
• "Sexuelle Gewalt in der katholischen Kirche" [Sexual violence in the Catholic Church]. GottesSuche [God's Search] (in German). Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021. Timeline, international but focussed on Germany, with sourced entries starting in 2001, frequently updated