Abstract
This chapter discusses the overview of this book. It provides a brief social context of the current clerical abuse of the Catholic clergy in the world. It explains the statement of the problem of the research in which this book is based, as well as the methodology, the review of the related literature, and the theoretical framework in analyzing the persistence of clerical abuse of the secular clergy in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy. Finally, it provides a roadmap of the book and summaries of the chapters. Beyond clericalism and psychological causes of clerical sexual abuse, this book argues that sexual misconduct by the Catholic clergy in the Roman Catholic Church has social roots and global dimensions which require a structural investigation into the loopholes in the social interaction and control systems in the Catholic hierarchy as a clerical community.
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Notes
- 1.
BishopAccountability.org estimated that least 85 bishops around the world have been accused publicly of sexual wrongdoing. But to date, a mere 4 accused bishops have been laicized.
- 2.
There were even allegations that Pope Benedict XVI did not act on CSA cases while he was the Archbishop of Munich.
- 3.
Cited in Richard John Neuhaus, “Clerical Scandal and the Scandal of Clericalism” First Things,(March 2008), Retrieved 14 May 2017, https://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/03/clerical-scandal-and-the-scandal-of-clericalism.
- 4.
Andrew Hamilton. 9 March 2016. “Cultures of Accountability for Priests and Celebrities”. Eureika.com.au. Retrieved 20 April 2016, https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=46061#.WQmrWYiGPIU.
- 5.
Thomas P. Doyle. Clericalism: Enabler of Clergy Sex Abuse. Pastoral Psychol 54: 189: 189–213 (2006), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-006-6323-x.
- 6.
P.J. Isley & P. Isley, “Sexual abuse of male children by church personnel: Intervention and prevention” Pastoral Psychology. 39. (1990), 85–98.
- 7.
Thomas P. Doyle, “Roman Catholic Clericalism, Religious Duress, and Clergy Sexual Abuse”, Pastoral Psychology, Vol 51, No.3, (January 2003), 190.
- 8.
Supra, note 6.
- 9.
NCR Staff, “Abuse crisis is actually a hierarchy crisis”, The National Catholic Reporter, April 10, 2010, Retrieved 24 May 2017, https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/examining-crisis/abuse-crisis-actually-hierarchy-crisis.
- 10.
Catholics for a Free Choice, the Holy See and the Convention on the Rights of the Child: A Shadow Report 23–28 (2002).
- 11.
Ronald L. Akers, Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance: A General Theory of Crimes and Deviance. New Brunswick (USA) and London (UK): Transaction Publishers.
- 12.
Charis E. Kubrin and Ronald Wiezer, “New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory” Journal of Research of Crime and Deliquency. (November 2003), 374–375.
- 13.
The members of the hierarchy implemented disparate and often conflicting religious and legal responses to clerical sexual abuse in their various roles. See Jo Renee Formicola, “The Politics of Clerical Sexual Abuse,” Religions. 2016, 7, 9, Retrieved 20 May 2017, www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/1/9/pdf, https://doi.org/10.3390/rel7010009.
- 14.
Robert J. Sampson and William Julius Wilson, “Chapter 2, Toward a Theory of Race, Crime and Urban Inequality”. Crime, Race and Justice; A Reader, (1995).
- 15.
B. Wellman and S.D. Berkowitz, Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences 2: Social Structures: a Network Approach (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1988).
- 16.
Barry Wellman, “Structural analysis: from method and metaphor to theory and substance”, Contemporary Studies in Sociology. Vol. 5, 19–61, Retrieved 9 May 2017, http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~khsu/network/reading/wellman2.pdf.
- 17.
Charis Kubrin and Ronald Weitzer, 2003. “New Direction in Social Disorganization Theory” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. Vol 40, Issue 4, pp. 374–402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427803256238.
- 18.
Robert J. Sampson and Byron W. Groves, “Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social Disorganization Theory. American Journal of Sociology 92, no. 4, 774–782. Reprinted in Frances Cullen and Velmer Burton, eds., Contemporary Criminological Theory. Dartmouth Publishing Co., 1994.
- 19.
J. A. Fagin, Criminal justice introduction to criminal justice college of public safety. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, (2010).
- 20.
Charis E. Kubrin and Ronald Wiezer, “New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory” Journal of Research of Crime and Deliquency. (November 2003), 374–375.
- 21.
Charis E. Kubrin and Ronald Wiezer, “New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory” Journal of Research of Crime and Deliquency. (November 2003), 374–375.
- 22.
Fred E. Marcowitz, et al., “Extending Social Disorganization Theory: Modeling the Cohesion between Relationships, Disorder, and Fear”. Criminology 2, 9, (May 2009), 293–294.
- 23.
Robert J. Sampson and Byron W. Groves, “Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social Disorganization Theory”. American Journal of Sociology 92, no. 4, 774–782. Reprinted in Frances Cullen and Velmer Burton, eds., Contemporary Criminological Theory. Dartmouth Publishing Co., 1994.
- 24.
Ronald L. Akers, Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance: A General Theory of Crimes and Deviance. New Brunswick (USA) and London (UK): Transaction Publishers.
- 25.
Rose, Dina R. “Social Disorganization and Parochial Control: Religious Institutions and Their Communities.” Sociological Forum 15, no. 2 (2000): 339–358. http://www.jstor.org/stable/684819.
- 26.
Denney, Andrew Stephen, “Sex offenses at Protestant Christian churches: a typology and examination using social disorganization theory.” (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2102. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2102.
- 27.
R.J., Bursik Jr. and H.G. Grasmick, Neighborhood and Crime.Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, (1993).
- 28.
Robert J. Sampson and Byron W. Groves, “Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social Disorganization Theory”. American Journal of Sociology 92, no. 4, 774–782. Reprinted in Frances Cullen and Velmer Burton, eds., Contemporary Criminological Theory. Dartmouth Publishing Co., 1994.
- 29.
The lack of a professional judicial system in the Catholic Church is a major cause of delay in the investigation and prosecution of abuses committed by priests. See Nicolas N. Cafardi, “Before Dallas: The U.S. Bishops’ Response to Clergy Sexual Abuse of Children”. New York: Paulist Press, (2008).
- 30.
Canon law is the official statute of the Catholic Church. It includes the Code of Canon Law and many other canonical documents issued by Popes, Roman Congregations, Bishops’ Conferences and Bishops. The current ecclesiastical code in the Catholic Church is the Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church was promulgated on January 25, 1983, and went into effect on the First Sunday of Advent that same year (Daly, 2009, p. 33).
- 31.
Wayne A. Logan, “Criminal Law Sanctuaries”, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, Vol 38, (2003), 321.
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O. Ballano, V. (2019). Introduction. In: Sociological Perspectives on Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Hierarchy. SpringerBriefs in Religious Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8825-5_1
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