: The text suggests that bishops and church authorities often surrendered their authority to Vatican congregations or were immobilized by the fear of being reported to Rome.
Cozzens argues that a culture of misplaced loyalty and fear of scandal led to a leadership crisis, primarily focusing on the following areas:
Sacred Silence: Denial and the Crisis in the Church - Liturgical Press Sacred silence: denial and the crisis in the ch...
: Shift away from a strictly clerical culture to include more participation from the faithful.
: Transition from institutional secrecy to open, honest dialogue. : The text suggests that bishops and church
is a 2002 book by Donald Cozzens, PhD, an American Catholic priest and author who explores the institutional failures and culture of secrecy within the Catholic Church. The book critiques how "sacred silence"—traditionally a form of prayer and reverence—has been misused as a tool of denial to avoid addressing major crises. Core Themes of the Book
: The book explores the psychological dynamics that sustain this culture of silence, including the impact of declining vocations and the presence of gay men in the priesthood. The Call for "Redemptive Honesty" is a 2002 book by Donald Cozzens, PhD,
: He analyzes how the "cult of clerical secrecy" and systemic denial allowed for the continued exploitation of children and adolescents, often minimizing the gravity of allegations to protect the institution’s image.
