The Impact of the Clergy Abuse Scandal on Parish Communities

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of the clergy abuse scandal in the Catholic Church on nonabused adult members of Catholic faith communities and on those communities as a whole. The themes discussed are based on three focus groups conducted as an initial step in the development of interventions for affected parish communities. Four major themes were identified within the groups: (a) a deep hurt in response to perceived betrayal by church leaders, (b) a reawakening of pain connected to past injuries by clergy, (c) an effort to cope by separating relationship with God from relationship with the church, and (d) a concern for the spiritual well-being of other family members. These themes are examined through the prism of selected literature and implications for promoting personal and institutional recovery are discussed.