The sexual abuse scandal has gripped the Catholic Church for the past thirty years, and continues to wreak havoc even today. It's been a diabolical masterpiece, one that has compromised the work of the Church in every way and has left countless lives in ruins. Many Catholics are understandably asking, “Why should I stay? Why not abandon this sinking ship before it drags me or my children under?"               

In this stirring manifesto, Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight. Reading the current crisis through the lenses of Scripture and Church history, Bishop Barron shows that we have faced such egregious scandals before; that the spiritual treasures of the Church were preserved by holy men and women who recommitted themselves to fighting evil; and that there is a clear path forward for us today.

For Catholics questioning their faith, searching desperately for encouragement and hope, this book will offer reasons to stay and fight for the Body of Christ.

You'll find a timeline of the Crisis and information about the book handed out at our parish here.

“Letter to a Suffering Church” - Parish Announcement from Bishop Barron

"Letter to a Suffering Church" - Parish Announcement from Bishop Barron from Word on Fire on Vimeo.

Below you'll find relevant video, audio, and article links.

Videos on each Chapter:

CHAPTER ONE: The Devil's Masterpiece

CHAPTER TWO: Light From Scripture

CHAPTER THREE: We Have Been Here Before

CHAPTER FOUR: Why Should We Stay?

CHAPTER FIVE: The Way Forward

The Wisdom of St. Catherine in Times of Crisis | Sr. Mary Madeline Todd OP

This talk was offered on October 4th, 2018 at Harvard University.

Speaker Bio: Sr. Mary Madeline Todd is a Dominican Sister of Saint Cecilia Congregation, serving as Assistant Professor of Theology at Aquinas College in Nashville. She studied theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and earned her doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. She writes and speaks on spiritual and moral theology, especially on the dignity of the human person in Christ.

What to do about the Scandal in the Church w/ Sister Mary Madeline Todd 

This is an interview conducted by Matt Fradd on his podcast, Pint's w/ Aquinas and released on July 9th, 2019.

Benedict XVI essay: 'The Church and the scandal of sexual abuse'

In an essay published on April 10th, 2019, at CNA, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI offered his thoughts about the sex abuse crisis facing the Church. Benedict reviewed the sexual revolution of the 1960s, and examined its effects on priestly formation and life, before suggesting the Church's proper response.

St. Thomas Aquinas discusses fraternal correction in the Summa Theologiae

Summa Theologiae - II-II Q. 33 Fraternal Correction 

Promoting Vocations -  The St. Mary’s Seven: How One Parish Gave the Church Seven Priests in Seven Years

THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS BY CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND DEACONS IN THE UNITED STATES 195O-2OO2

A landmark study known as the John Jay Report

 Two studies were conducted by the Ruth Institute on Clergy Sexual Abuse. One examined abuse between 1950-2001 and then was updated to include the findings from the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report. The findings were presented to the USCCB. The second was released on June 6th, 2019. You can find these two studies here.