by Frank Bruni
First published 2002
Sexual abuse scandals have erupted across Catholic churches nationwide. Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalists Elinor Burkett and Frank Bruni investigate how extensive child sexual abuse has become within the Catholic clergy. They ask why the Catholic church has failed to take stronger action against these crimes. The journalists document case after case from communities across America. Their research reveals a pattern of institutional silence that has enabled continued abuse. The Church's failure to speak out has effectively permitted this violation of trust to continue. Burkett and Bruni present evidence that proves both maddening and devastating. Their findings challenge readers to confront uncomfortable truths about religious authority and institutional responsibility.
Genres: abuse, crime, biography-memoir, investigative-journalism, current-affairs, church-history, catholic, american-history
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: institutional-corruption, investigative-journalism
Setting: America, Catholic Churches
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
336 pages · Paperback · Harper Perennial
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse, sexual-assault