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The Cross of the Moment

The report of research on the impact of clerical child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales, exploring how the crisis has been experienced by different groups within the Church, most notably the victims and survivors of abuse
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A guide to reading the report and reflecting on its implications

(With the kind permission of the Breaking Boundaries project, Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University whose Reading Guide has shaped the resource below.)

Introducing the Report

It is the first study of how the child abuse crisis in the Catholic Church in England and Wales has impacted the Catholic community. Emerging from a 'Boundary Breaking' research project, led by Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies, it suggests that aspects of the culture and practices of the Catholic Church are implicated in how clerical child sexual abuse has happened and that the response of the Church has caused further pain and harm, described by victims and survivors as ‘secondary abuse’.

The focus of the research was to listen to the voices of victims and survivors of abuse and their families. It also listened to others either directly or indirectly affected by the abuse crisis including parish communities, laypeople, priests, deacons, bishops, religious communities and safeguarding staff. The report presents theological reflection on the experiences described.

The report invites groups across the Catholic community to listen more deeply to the voices of those directly and indirectly affected and consider what may need to change in Catholic culture and theological understanding. It responds to Pope Francis’ proposal that to move forward, the Catholic community needs "a continuous and profound conversion of hearts attested by concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church".

Although the report recognises that progress has been made in safeguarding practice and in finding more compassionate ways to accompany and support victim-survivors, it concludes that more work is needed.  While the authors suggest that habits of 'clericalism' are changing and that accountability within the Church’s structures is improving, they recommend learning from restorative justice and healing circle practices to find ways to heal relationships between victim-survivors and the Catholic community.

  • to explore how the issues raised point to aspects of our Catholic faith and culture which might need re-thinking
  • to listen to the voices presented in the report
  • to consider the issues and questions raised by their experience
  • to reflect on what resonates with or challenges our experience and what we can learn from prayerful listening
  • to explore how the issues raised point to aspects of the Catholic faith and culture which might need re-thinking
  • to ponder what is asked of the whole Catholic community in an ongoing response to the abuse crisis.

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The Cross of the Moment

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The Cross of the Moment

Exploring the Report

This is a long text.  For some people, it will not be easy reading.

It is important to take time and consider what would work for you. 

You do not have to sit down and read from cover to cover.

You may prefer to read parts of the text with others.

However you choose to read it, you are encouraged to use the text as a resource and to explore the sections and themes which draw your interest.
Some pathways are provided below.
The most important thing is to listen to the voices that spoke in the research.
If you have limited time, just read the quotes from participants’ voices, which are set out in purple, mainly in chapters two to six.

Official Reading Guide

Reading Guide

PATHWAY 1: If you are interested in the voices and experience of survivors:

  • Read Chapter 2

    You can hear the voices of those who have been affected by abuse, particularly survivors but also parish members, priests, bishops and religious.

  • Read sections 2 and 7 in Chapter 6

    You are encouraged to reflect on aspects of Catholic culture - habits and attitudes - that the authors believe are implicated in how abuse has happened and how the Church's response has often been inadequate.

  • Read section 2 in Chapter 7

    This section explores ideas from Catholic teaching and theology that the authors believe are relevant to the cultural habits and understandings implicated in the abuse crisis.


    Read section 2 in Chapter 8

    This chapter imagines some possible ways forward through which more could be done to learn from this crisis, particularly from the experience of survivors.

Download chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 9

PATHWAY 2: If you are interested in what the research means for parish communities:

  • Read section 2 in Chapter 2

    It is important to hear the voices of those who have been affected by abuse, particularly survivors.


    Read section 1 in Chapter 3

    You can read about how parish communities have been affected by abuse, particularly through women's voices.

  • Read sections 1 and 4 in Chapter 6

    You are encouraged to reflect on Catholic habits and attitudes that the authors believe have been significant in enabling abuse to happen and causing many Church members to become bystanders.

  • Read section 4 in Chapter 7

    This section unpicks what the authors understand as 'clericalism' - certain habits and attitudes of priests, bishops, religious and laypeople - which have been implicated in the abuse crisis.


    Read section 3 in Chapter 8

    This chapter explores one possible way forward in parish communities as being to use a 'synodal conversation' approach, enabling people to talk, listen, and reflect on the experiences of individuals and of the community, journeying from lamenting towards healing.