Sacred Silence: Denial And The Crisis In The Ch... -

Rather than merely criticizing, Cozzens proposes a path forward based on . He believes that for the Church to regain its credibility and moral authority, it must:

The book is widely regarded by reviewers from platforms like Liturgical Press and Publishers Weekly as a courageous and prophetic work that seeks to heal the Church by confronting its "ugly, gaping wounds" with truth. Sacred silence: denial and the crisis in the ch...

is a 2002 book by Donald Cozzens, PhD, an American Catholic priest and author who explores the institutional failures and culture of secrecy within the Catholic Church. The book critiques how "sacred silence"—traditionally a form of prayer and reverence—has been misused as a tool of denial to avoid addressing major crises. Core Themes of the Book Rather than merely criticizing, Cozzens proposes a path

: Transition from institutional secrecy to open, honest dialogue. The Call for "Redemptive Honesty" : Shift away

: The book explores the psychological dynamics that sustain this culture of silence, including the impact of declining vocations and the presence of gay men in the priesthood. The Call for "Redemptive Honesty"

: Shift away from a strictly clerical culture to include more participation from the faithful.

: Acknowledge the historical and personal forms of denial that have sustained the status quo.