Truth Heals

The Clergy Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church’s Response

Paulina Guzik

• Publisher: EDUSC
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• eBook ISBN:
  9791254825327
• Subtopic: Communication Studies
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

For over three decades, the Catholic Church has confronted the global crisis of sexual abuse. Since the 2002 "Spotlight" investigation, important reforms have improved safeguarding, yet the work remains incomplete – especially in communications. This book explores how clear, accountable communication can support survivors, rebuild trust, and strengthen governance in the Church's ongoing response. Paulina Guzik has made an essential and comprehensive contribution to our understanding of the scourge of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The principles and best practices elaborated here are crucial components of effective communication, which is itself crucial to effective institutional responses to this crisis. 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 (Kim Daniels, J.D., Director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University). As someone who sat beside Pope Francis at the February 2019 summit and urged the world's bishops to embrace transparency in responding to the abuse crisis, I can think of no greater gift to the Church on this vital issue than Paulina Guzik's "Truth Heals." In addressing transparency, accountability, and responsibility in the management and communication of the clerical abuse crisis, the book brings together two exceptional strengths: the author's passion and experience as a journalist and communications professional, and the academic rigor that has produced groundbreaking research and insights. This is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how effective communication must be integrated into the Church's response to the abuse crisis (Valentina Alazraki, Vatican correspondent of Televisa, author of groundbreaking speech during 2019 Vatican safeguarding summit). Paulina Guzik is a professor of media studies and communications at the Pontificai University of John Paul Il in Kraków and international editor of OSV News. She is an award-winning journalist and documentary director.

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Chapter 1 - What the Catholic Church could learn from corporate crisis management
• Chapter 2 - Child sexual abuse
• Chapter 3 - Sexual abuse of minors in religious environments
• Chapter 4 - Sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church
• Chapter 5 - The Holy See's first response
• Chapter 6 - Media stories that drove the global narrative
• Chapter 7 - Perceptions vs. Facts
• Chapter 8 - The real profile of the problem
• Chapter 9 - The pontificate of Francis
• Chapter 10 - Managing the abuse crisis
• Chapter 11 - Communications Best Practices
• Chapter 12 - Conclusions: How to restore trust