The Priest Sex Scandal and Its Effects on Trust and Respect -- How Catholic College Students Think About Catholic Leadership

Abstract

Abstract The year 2002 marked a significant crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States. The media was filled with stories of the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests and accusations of mishandling and cover-up by bishops. At the heart of the discussion was the issue of a loss of trust in the Catholic leadership. The researchers conducted a survey of undergraduates living in residence halls at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit Catholic university. The survey included twenty statements on topics currently being debated in the Church, including the statement, “I trust and respect the leadership of my religion.” Students used a Likert-type scale to express levels of agreement/disagreement with the statements. The researchers also conducted focus groups with Catholic students and university Ministry Staff. Survey results showed little difference between Catholics and non-Catholics in their responses to the item on trust and respect of leadership. Also, the survey showed a less than powerful r...