Clerical horrors take the spotlight in contemporary media

In recent years, there has been global acknowledgement of the abundant sexual abuse that exists within the Catholic church. Prior to the 2000s, there was little to no dialogue in the media about clerical pederasty. Today, the taboo or discomfort around the delicate subject, in many places, has been replaced by a hunger to educate and eradicate the persistence of these heinous crimes. It seems every day there are new stories, allegations and publications regarding the abuse, which in many ways shows a progression from the previous negligence of the problem entirely. As of today, the scandals have been made the subject of high-profile art, successful Hollywood films, books and television series. With the recent spike in conversation about the Church and the behavior of some of its representatives, it raises the question of whether the public pressure will have any effect on the manner in which future abuses are handled inside and outside of the Church.

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'Cardinal Sin' by Banksy

Distinguished street artist, Banksy, has been well known to produce works that comment on important social or political issues. In 2011, his sculpture piece “Cardinal Sin” was a bold and forthright message following several public allegations of child abuse. Supposedly, credible allegations rose by 15 percent that year. Banksy’s eerie representation of the 18th century priest has been linked to the recognizable pixelated images of criminals on television. Featured in Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery, this piece alone had several dozen articles written about it, through which it gained rapid media attention. Banksy’s modern take and artistic representation may have been relatively subdued, but his comments on the lies, corruption and abuse found in the Church were certainly upfront.

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Esteemed documentaries have historically been very successful in spreading truths and educating the public on particular injustices. In 2006, the documentaries Deliver Us From Evil, Hand of God, and Sex Crimes of the Vatican all exposed specific recounts of molestation in the Church. In our current society however, the majority of consumers primarily watch Hollywood films, while low-budget documentaries tend to draw in a smaller niche crowd. Spotlight, a film about a journalism team who investigated allegations against a priest in Boston, Massachusetts reached the box office in 2015. After incredible success, it took the stage at the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture. Many saw this as a huge success for the activism community. Producer Michael Sugar made an emotional speech

that expressed his gratitude for being able to give survivors a voice, and a hope that those voices would be able to reach the Vatican. Since Spotlight’s release, Netflix has picked up several series about scandals within the Church. The Keeper’s is a wildly popular mystery and documentary that exposes abuse against nuns in Baltimore. Since it's release, there has been an increase in reports of previous sexual abuse, which police accredit to the show. More recently, Examination of Consciousness (2019) highlights several thorough recounts of molestation in the Spanish Church specifically. It reveals tragic details about how the abuse tormented the boys for their entire lives, and the lack of consequences since the allegations. Although the actual goals of the movement have yet to be actualized, the series and others of its kind gives victims a much needed platform to educate others, provide comfort to those who have not come forward and spark change in the corrupt system.

Although victims have a wider support system today due to increased awareness of the issue, there have been very few changes within the legal or clerical systems to prevent abuse and provide repercussions for abusers. On any given day, one can find a dozen articles about accused bishops across the globe. What one cannot find, is evidence of proper punishment for the malicious abuse of a child. Currently, condemning is rare, and arrest is almost unheard of. However, just weeks ago, Pope Francis offered a statement at his summit that vowed to take “concrete action” against priests who commit such abuses. Although some activists and victims think its too little, too late, Francis is the first to publicly acknowledge and criticize this severe problem within his domain. His efforts starkly contrast the overall levels of ignorance from generations past. With no doubt that these cases will persist in the media and Pope Francis will be under public scrutiny, only time will tell whether he follows through with his vows to derail the horrific patterns that have manifested within the Catholic Church.