Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 320 pages
• Published by: Liturgical Press March 1, 2008
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0814618650
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0814618653
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 14.4 ounces

Reader Reviews
This is a really excellent book, coming directly to grips not only with the Roman Catholic Church's clerical abuse problems, but with history's iron grip on both governance and doctrine and the Church's inability to get beyond that grip -- due to structure, resistance to paradigm shifts, and a failure of will. Clerical sexual abuse is shown as a prime example of the Church's dysfunctional structure, marginalizing of the laity, and centralization of power far from where the rubber meets the road. An earlier reviewer was put off somewhat by the author's use of rhetorical questions. I do see her point, but I think Bp. Robinson was extremely clever to make his points that way, rather than by flat declarative confrontations with the Roman Curia. Sadly, instead of maturely responding in kind, the hierarchy once again shot itself in the foot with its overblown reaction both to problem statements and to suggested paths out of the morass. (The impact on me of Roger Cardinal Mahony's appalling letter to the author was that I immediately bought and devoured the book.) Highly recommended. Benedict XVI and his team should be encouraging such thinkers and questioners, and engaging them in reasoned twenty-first century dialogue, rather than harking back to the fifth century (Augustine) and the sixteenth (Council of Trent) and hiding behind "creeping infallibility." I hope Catholics, both laity and clergy, will have the guts to read this book and use it as a step on the ladder of reform. Ecclesia semper reformanda est (the Church must always be reforming. Always.) Comment | | (Report this)