A Gospel of Shame: 2children, Sexual Abuse, and the Catholic Church

In this riveting, disturbing expose, journalists Burkett of the Miami Herald and Bruni of the Detroit Free Press , present an indictment of not only pedophiliac priests, but also of a church hierarchy that is interested more in concealment than compassion. Among the cases documented, the book focuses on Frank Fitzpatrick, a private detective living in Rhode Island, and his search for Father James Porter, a priest who 30 years earlier had molested him in elementary school in Massachusetts. Fitzpatrick was stonewalled by both the church and the law in tracking down the elusive cleric. When he finally found him in Minnesota in 1990--now married but also still a molester, according to court records-- Fitzpatrick helped direct the public's attention to a problem the church had been denying for years. Through the attention of the media, more than 200 people nationwide accused Porter of molesting them. This case could serve as a catalyst for many Catholics, male and female alike, who had been molested by their parish priests to now come forward. The authors estimate that the lawsuits to date have cost the church $400-500 million. Unfortunately, one concludes from this frightening book that if your child is molested by a priest, the bishop is not the avenue of recourse; better to call the police and a lawyer. Photos. (Oct.)