Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: Trusting the Clergy?: Trusting the Clergy?

Sexual Abuse In The Catholic Church includes the viewpoints of some of today’s most influential members of the Catholic Church, from Archbishop Harry J. Flynn to Father Donald B. Cozzens. It will bring readers up to date on the ways in which the American Catholic bishops have dealt, and are attempting to deal, with the shocking sexual abuse scandal. Archbishop Harry J. Flynn offer’s a bishop’s perspective on the sexual abuse crisis and describes how the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has responded to these issues since the 1980s. Father Donald B. Cozzens summarizes what has been learned from the clergy abuse crisis and then considers the systemic issues that need to be addressed. Viewpoints from renowned scholars and non-catholic church leaders, such as Michael J. Bland and Marie M. Fortune, are also considered. Other aspects considered include: The need for the Catholic hierarchy to develop a justice-making agenda ; Understanding abusers’ modes of operation and motivation; Identifying future potential sexual abusers attempting to enter the priesthood; Including the sexual abuse of adults as well as children