Abuse and Cover-Up: Refounding the Catholic Church in Trauma

Here is a timely book on the sex abuse crisis by a scholar who is adept at weaving insights from the social sciences into a framework of practical theology. Written for readers deeply concerned for the future of the church, this book addresses two questions: Why does the culture of the Catholic Church, despite Vatican II's emphasis on collegiality and transparency, still cover up abuses of power? How can this culture change in order to end abuse and heal the wounds it inflicts on the Body of Christ?

Review by Michael Dooley for Tui Motu

This is an upsetting book on a number of levels. First of all, the author begins with the present day sexual abuse scandals and cover-up in the Church and details the trauma that it has caused. Second, the author suggests that the solution to the problem entails an upset, a radical cultural change in the Church. Gerald Arbuckle, a priest of the Society of Mary, approaches the issue as a cultural anthropologist. His conclusion is that the Church has never moved into the vision put forward at Vatican II. Problems such as clericalism, lack of accountability and cover-up of abuse are symptoms of a church culture that has lost touch with the Gospel. Arbuckle quotes Marie Keenan: “In an irony of the current situation, it may well be that the greatest impetus to change in the Catholic Church going forward will turn out to be child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, and the strength that survivors of abuse have had in challenging the system that failed them.” After analysing the problem, Arbuckle proposes that the Church needs to be “refounded” on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and suggests ways this can be done. This is a worthwhile and challenging book for everyone in the Church to read.