New Book on Abuse in Catholic Church
Jason Berry, the freelance journalist who 20 years ago broke the story of pedophilia in the Catholic Church with a report on abuses by a priest in Louisianna, is himself Catholic. After his first investigation into accusations against Father Gilbert Gauthe, "I began to see the outlines of a truly vast coverup, I kept wanting to understand it, I wanted to understand why it happened," Berry said. His ensuing investigation resulted in his first book Lead Us Not into Temptation: Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse of Children. Berry's latest book, Vows of Silence : The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II traces the culture of lies and deception in the church through the
experiences of two very different priests: Father Tom Doyle, whose career as a Vatican diplomat was derailed when he became a whistle-blower and advocate for victims of of abuse by priests, and Father Marcial Maciel an accused pedophile, alleged drug user and founder of the militaristic Catholic order, Legion of Christ. Maciel enjoys a high degree of favor from and access to Pope John Paul II and charges of sexual abuse brought against him in the Vatican courts were blocked. The book features interviews with Father Doyle and with former Legionnaires.