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New Book Urges Catholic Church to Rethink Communication in Abuse Cases
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In Short: A newly released book calls for the Catholic Church to prioritize effective communication in handling clergy sexual abuse crises.
Rome (OSV News) — A newly released book is urging the Catholic Church to rethink how it communicates during clergy sexual abuse crises. According to the author, Paulina Guzik, clear guidance on what to communicate, how to communicate it, and when to do so is lacking, despite significant progress in legal procedures and safeguarding policies.
Guzik, who is the international editor for OSV News and a professor of media studies and communications at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, Poland, argues that communication is not a cosmetic addition to safeguarding but a central part of it. "From John Paul II to Francis, popes have helped transform the Church's law and culture, although slowly and often under external pressure," Guzik said during a press presentation in Rome on Sept. 10.
The book, titled "Truth Heals: Clergy Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church's Response," proposes 10 principles for crisis communications, including putting victims first, embracing transparency, and engaging the media fairly. "The first duty of a Church that calls itself a mother is to hear those who were harmed, believe the seriousness of their suffering, and respond with compassion, justice, and sustained care," Guzik emphasized.
Guzik challenges the assumption that public relations, legal approaches, or institutional silence can protect the Church's credibility. "After so many years of dealing with the topic on many different levels in the Church, the new pontificate of Pope Leo XIV is a perfect time to reinforce this branch of crisis management, and a crucial one — communications," she said after an audience with Pope Leo.
The book is not just for bishops, priests, and Catholic communications professionals but for all committed to justice and healing for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. "This book should be required reading not only for bishops, priests, and Catholic communications professionals, but for all committed to justice and healing for survivors of clergy sexual abuse," said Daniels, a prominent figure in the field.
What's confirmed
- ROME (OSV News) — A newly released book is urging the Catholic Church to rethink how it communicates during clergy sexual abuse crises.
- Drawing on examples of both effective and failed communication from around the world, the book’s author, who is international editor for OSV News and professor of media studies and communications at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, Poland, said she wanted to fill the gap between existing safeguarding elements and one element that is visibly still pending — communications.
- “From John Paul II to Francis, popes have helped transform — although slowly and quite often urged by external pressure — the Church’s law and culture. But clear guidance on what to communicate, how to communicate it and when to do so in cases of sexual abuse was lacking,” Guzik said during the press presentation in Rome Sept. 10.
- According to Guzik, the principles outlined in the book complement the Church’s progress in developing legal procedures, safeguarding policies and a culture of accountability.
- “It’s a book for decision-makers in the Church. To be able to hand it to the bishop of Rome as a starting point — that made me tremendously happy,” Guzik told OSV News.
- “The way I started this research was really simple — I saw my own Church, in Poland, struggling with the answer to the abuse crisis — at the time almost two decades after the iconic 2002 Spotlight investigation in the U.S.,” Guzik told OSV News.
- Alazraki got a standing ovation from her fellow journalists in Sala Stampa, the Vatican press room, after she told the bishops to stop “playing the ostrich” and transparently communicate the abuse scandal.
- “This book should be required reading not only for bishops, priests and Catholic communications professionals, but for all committed to justice and healing for survivors of clergy sexual abuse,” said Daniels.
What's still developing
- "It must be part of the Church's response from the very beginning: part of how leaders listen, make decisions, accept responsibility, restore justice and reform structures." In her book, Guzik provides a practical framework for Church leaders, communicators and journalists working to rebuild trust in the wake of abuse and institutional failure.
- "Before apologies, compensation, or legal strategies, there must be listening," Guzik writes in her book.
Sources
- Detroitcatholiclink