Sacred Silence: Denial And The Crisis In The Ch... May 2026

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

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 Sacred silence: denial and the crisis in the ch...

Sacred Silence: Denial and the Crisis in the Church - Liturgical Press : Shift away from a strictly clerical culture

: Acknowledge the historical and personal forms of denial that have sustained the status quo. Core Themes of the Book Sacred Silence: Denial

: 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"