Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II

by Gerald Renner and Jason Berry

Book Overview

Going deep behind the headlines about scandals in the Catholic Church, Jason Berry and Gerald Renner's Vows of Silence follows the staggering trail of evasions and deceit that leads directly to the Vatican and taints the legacy of Pope John Paul II. Based on more than six years of investigative reporting and hundreds of interviews, this book is a riveting account of Vatican cover-ups. Both a profound criticism and a wake-up call to reform...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743287061
• ISBN13: 9780743287067
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

First remove the beam from your own eye

As can be seen in some of the previous "reviews" of this book, the considered reaction of some to Mr. Berry's findings is: 'Kill the messenger!' This being the case, the following communiqué issued by the Vatican Press Office on May 19, 2006 is certainly germane to this book, and to the deprecatory comments about it posted here. This is excerpted from an English translation of the Italian original: "In reference to news reports diffused concerning the person of the Founder of the Legionaries of Christ, the Reverend Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, the Press Office of the Holy See communicates the following:" "...[T]he then-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, authorized an investigation of the accusations [of sexual abuse against Fr. Maciel--O.H.]. In the meantime, the death of Pope John Paul II [a friend and patron of Fr. Maciel--O.H.] happened and the election of Cardinal Ratzinger as the new Pontiff." "After having submitted the results of the investigation to an attentive study, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the guide of its new Prefect, His Eminence Cardinal William Levada, decided - taking account of the advanced age of the Reverend Maciel and his delicate health - to renounce any canonical process and to invite the Father to a reserved life of prayer and penance, renouncing every public ministry. The Holy Father has approved these decisions." Res ipsa loquitur--"the thing speaks for itself".

An insider's view

It may seem strange that one of the subjects of "Vows of Silence" writes a review, but the book is far too important to pass up this opportunity. Besides, the Legion of Christ has front-loaded the net with its own reviews.Apart from the information about me (Doyle),which is 99% accurate, the only inaccuracies being very minor, the immense value of this book is the fact that it courageously uncovers the dishonesty of the Legion of Christ and its sexually abusing founder/leader. Catholics from the Vatican on down to the pews are duped by this outfit. Berry and Renner dug deep into the inner workings of the Catholic Church's strange governing world and found corruption. Many people, lay and clergy, are not able to handle what they found, but find it they did. The Church, Catholics and secular society are much better off because of the honest and detailed rendition of the bizarre story of this cultish organization. If men and women of integrity look for reasons for the senselessness of the church's response to the sex abuse crisis, they will find some valuable and shocking answers in this book. The blindness and the denial of justice starts at the top. Thomas Doyle

Heart breaking accuracy!

Incredibly accurate. I am a former member of Regnum Christi for many years. It all rings too familiar. I am saddened to see how much harm the Legion of Christ has done, but I am relieved to see that it is finally coming to the surface in the United States.

A Gift to the Church

I lived in a rectory with Father Juan Vaca, a major character in this book, 15 years ago. He poured his heart out to me about the abuse he now describes and was wounded to the heart. Those who love the church love the truth, this book tells the truth. I hope it is a beginning of a cleansing of our church and the replacement of a sick clerical culture with true gospel values. We priests must demand integrity of our leaders, it is the only way to restore the good name of the church. I would like to thank the authors, and especially Father Thomas Doyle who have helped to bring the cleansing light of day to this dark moment in the history of our church. I couln't put it down.