A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

The idea for this book came from my own struggle to understand the escalation of sex scandals in the Catholic Church. Trying to be a good, practicing Catholic and raise my family in the same tradition has often left me confused and uneasy. Reading about the scandals and listening to the various dioceses’ responses left me with too many unanswered questions and concerns. Speaking with my own priest proved informative and helpful, yet this was too narrow to be indicative of the larger population of priests living through this crisis. I wanted to hear more perspectives and experiences from those who deal daily with the repercussions of these scandals. Not from the Pope or the Bishop or their mouthpieces, but from the everyday clergy who work in local parishes; those who dedicate their lives to doing God’s work. These are the people who hold the keys to understanding and change.

I used my graduate school research training to design a simple questionnaire that asked some of my deepest questions. I never expected the responses I received or the lengthy, personal revelations that accompanied the returned questionnaires.

What began as a personal quest for understanding turned out to be so much more. I was overwhelmed by the willingness of priests to be involved in this endeavor and amazed by the richness and depth of their thoughts and experiences. The clergy’s insight was remarkable and I was left with some incredible grains of wisdom and a greater degree of comfort.

I am eternally grateful to the priests who chose to be involved in this project, and I thank each of them for their time and thoughtful, candid responses. Without their honesty and shared experiences, this book could never have been written. Through this exploration, I hope you find some new hope for the Church, a strengthened faith, and some consolation in the goodness that dwells within the bad.

Before we begin… a disclaimer and word of caution regarding this study and the information yielded: the experiences and themes portrayed here are not all-encompassing, nor do they represent any majority of opinion or sentiment. However, it does provide a beginning sample of an experience that has often been unknown by the public. The intent of this exploration was not meant to find an answer or solution, but rather to look for pieces that provide more knowledge and a better understanding.

A special thank you to Fr. Andrew Greeley, PhD and Father Patrick Bascio, PhD for their assistance and assessment of my work during its evolution.I dedicate this book to the Catholic priests everywhere who do their jobs well everyday.