Mortal Sins: Sex, Crime, and the Era of Catholic Scandal

An explosive, sweeping account of the scandal that has sent the Catholic Church into a tailspin — and the brave few who fought for justice.

In the mid-1980s a dynamic young monsignor assigned to the Vatican's embassy in Washington set out to investigate the problem of sexually abusive priests. He found a scandal in the making, confirmed by secret files revealing complaints that had been hidden from police and covered up by the Church hierarchy. He also understood that the United States judicial system was eager to punish offenders and those who aided them. He presented all of this to the American bishops, warning that the Church could be devastated by negative publicity and bankrupted by its legal liability. They ignored him.

Meanwhile, a young lawyer listened to a new client describe an abusive sexual history with a priest that began when he was ten years old. His parents' complaints were downplayed by Church officials who offered them money to go away. The lawyer saw a claim that any defendant would want to settle. Then he began to suspect he was onto something bigger, involving thousands of priests who had abused countless children while the Church had done almost nothing about it. The lawsuit he filed would touch off a legal war of historic and global proportions.

Part history, part journalism, and part true-crime thriller, Michael D'Antonio's Mortal Sins brings to mind landmark books such as All the Presidents Men, And the Band Played On, and The Informant, as it reveals a long and ferocious battle for the soul of the largest and oldest organization in the world.

“In an era when the Catholic Church and various social scientists have been concerned to gauge the statistical extent of how much priest abuse of children is really out there in dioceses, it is refreshing to have a superior journalist reintroduce the humanitarian issues of the injuries, horror, and outrage that victims of such abuse (and their families) have experienced at the hands of stubborn, out-of-touch ecclesiastical leaders. This is a valuable 'inside story' of the unraveling of the scandal, complete with fascinating original interviews of the main actors.” Anson Shupe, professor emeritus, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, author of Rogue Clerics, Bad Pastors, and Spoils of the Kingdom

"The definitive history of the Catholic Church's 'most severe crisis since the Reformation.'" Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This landmark work of recent history remains gripping and affecting to the last word.” Booklist (starred review)

“Nearly three decades of scandal, expertly exposed....The author weaves a captivating tale of legal drama set against the backdrop of an intransigent ecclesiastical hierarchy. The real-life characters of the story range from colorful to tragic; flamboyant lawyers, alcoholic clerics and activist abuse survivors all help make the story a true page-turner....In a readable manner, he has helped document a watershed era in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. Riveting and fascinating — sure to serve future generations well as they look back on this era.” Kirkus (starred review)