Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Crisis
Faith Turns to Doubt as More Cases Surface on the News
Key actors
- Vatican City – headquarters of the Catholic Church
- Pope Francis – current head of the Catholic Church and Vatican City
- Pope Benedict XVI – previous head of the Catholic Church (2005-2013)
Background
Sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church have appeared more commonly in the news lately, and all seem to follow a similar pattern: victims who stepped forward with allegations were hushed and paid with large sums of money to remain silent. Allegations that reached the police were simply dismissed, and convicted priests were relocated to different parishes with impunity.
History
Although it has been reported more prominently in recent times, the Catholic Church sexual abuse crisis has a long history spanning decades, with allegations of clerical sexual abuse appearing sporadically in the media during the 1980s. Infamous cases included that of Oregon priest Thomas Laughlin, who was jailed for a year in 1983 for sexual abuse involving two minors; and Louisiana priest Gilbert J Gauthe, who was found guilty in 1985 for molesting at least 39 children over the period of 11 years. Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer resigned under pressure as the Vienna archbishop following allegations of child sexual abuse, but unlike others, was permitted to continue his career, maintaining a lower profile in the church ministry.
The first massive investigation into Catholic clerical sex abuse took place in Ireland during the late 1990s. A documentary exposed the widespread sexual, emotional, and physical abuse that was present in the pious nation, as well as the corrupt cover-up efforts by clergy and law enforcement.
Abuse in the United States
In the United States, abuse was first exposed by a 2002 Boston Globe report, in which more than 70 Boston priests were recognized as having sexually abused children. Like Ireland, these abuses were covered up by the church’s hierarchy for decades. The news was a shock for Boston, especially considering that nearly half of Boston residents identified as themselves as Catholic in 2002.
More allegations emerged across the United States following the Boston Globe’s reporting, and in 2002, the Dallas Charter was established to deal with accused sex abusers in the clergy. In 2004, a report commissioned by the USCCB revealed that 4,392 American priests were accused of child molestation by 10,667 different individuals. It is important to note from the report, however, that only 252 of these priests were deemed guilty and 100 imprisoned.
The Vatican’s Response
During the recent course of events, many have begun to question the extent to which the Vatican knew about this crisis. However, one may never know due to Vatican City’s deep-rooted culture for secrecy.
Recently, former official Carlo Maria Viganò stepped forward with several claims denouncing the Vatican. One of these claims suggests that Pope Francis knowingly removed sanctions on Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, a notorious perpetrator of sexual abuse. The accusations have since remained unaddressed, as Pope Francis refuses to comment on them.
Pope Benedict XVI has responded to the situation in a different manner. He reportedly told a bishop, “My authority ends at that [office] door,” citing his limited power as the reason for the Vatican’s oversight. Based on Pope Benedict’s account, it would appear that the Vatican is seldom alerted of sexual abuse cases due to the autonomous nature of American archdioceses.
The full extent of the Catholic sexual abuse crisis remains unknown to the public. However, it goes without saying that the plight has already impacted many Catholics around the globe, replacing faith towards the church with doubt.
Bibliography:
Burton, Tara Isabella. “The Decades-Long Catholic Priest Child Sex Abuse Crisis, Explained.” Vox.com, Vox Media, 4 Sept. 2018, www.vox.com/2018/9/4/17767744/catholic-child-clerical-sex-abuse-priest-pope-francis-crisis-explained.