Losing Faith: Abuse, Cover-Up and the Catholic Church with Fr. Thomas Doyle

A former Vatican insider shares details of the sex-abuse epidemic.
Having reached extraordinary heights in the Catholic Church and served in the Vatican embassy with the sexual abuse epidemic, Fr. Thomas Doyle turned away from the religious order in response to the spiraling and far-reaching cover-up. Privy to some of the most sensitive dealings of the church, Fr. Thomas provides us with a very rare perspective on the abuse, response and cultural framework that allowed it to happen and continues to minimize the impact on the victims.
Fr. Thomas names names as to who he feels are directly responsible, and shares with us how the sordid affair has changed his own spiritual relationship to the church.

Guest Bio

Thomas Doyle was ordained a Dominican priest in 1970 in Dubuque, Iowa. He did graduate studies in philosophy, and theology at the Aquinas Institute of Philosophy and Theology and political science and Soviet Studies at the University of Wisconsin. He pursued further graduate work in Canon Law at the Gregorian University, Rome, Catholic University of America, the University of Ottawa and St. Paul’s University, Ottawa. He was awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law in 1978. In addition Father Doyle studied addictions therapy at the Naval School of Health Sciences and is a fully certified Alcohol, Drug and Addictions therapist. He holds MA degrees in philosophy, theology, administration, Canon Law and political science as well as his doctorate in Canon Law.
He has served as a consultant and expert witness on several hundred clergy abuse cases before the civil courts in nearly every State in the US as well as in Ireland, Israel and Canada. He has been involved with support groups for clergy sexual abuse victims and as a legal consultant for cases in Belgium, England, Mexico, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. He has appeared before eight State legislatures and has been a consultant and expert witness for several Grand Juries in the U.S.
He has written several books and articles on a variety of subjects related to Church law and practice. Included among these are one book and twelve articles on the clergy abuse crisis. He co-authored Sex, Priests and Secret Codes with Richard Sipe and Patrick Wall. Tom Doyle has lectured extensively throughout the U.S., in Canada and in Europe on the clergy abuse issue.

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Episode Breakdown

00:01 Welcome to Media Mayhem.
00:34 Introducing Fr. Thomas Doyle.
02:20 Is the church hierarchy set up to prevent victims from speaking out?
03:30 Was it intimidating to confront the church on sexual abuse?
05:29 The church dismisses the allegations as a media conspiracy and renounce Fr. Doyle’s work.
08:25 On Pope John Paul: “He could have done something, and he did nothing.”
10:51 Pope Benedict XVI, his complicity in the scandal, and what he should do.
13:37 Continued criminal trials against church leadership for allowing abuse.
16:32 Should have Archbishop Mahony been indicted?
20:21 Canon law and private documents.
21:27 The church defense of non-disclosure-”just following orders.”
23:23 Is there any correlation between gays in the priesthood and abuse?
25:47 The church’s response to his study on sexual abuse cases.
27:47 Why did so many predators gravitate to the church?
30:53 The Mayhem Round with Nick.
31:12 The Scottish government and same-sex marriage.
33:00 The Church’s response to losing parishioners and the ceremonial weight of the church.
36:59 Fr. Thomas’ take on being a military chaplain, and the additional “human care work” with the military.
39:52 “Do you still consider yourself Catholic?”
40:46 What the church hierarchy can do to make amends.
42:19 “Who should be prosecuted?”
44:45 The lingering effects of abuse on people.
46:11 Thank you and goodbye.