The Conscience of the Catholic Church Anne Barrett Doyle is a devoted mother, practicing Catholic, and one of the fiercest crusaders against clergy sex abuse.

 

 

She is one of the most feared and respected members of the Catholic Church; a steward of the world’s largest trove of documents holding accountable powerful men who have committed unforgivable acts—and unimaginable sin.

Barrett Doyle’s life mission began the morning of January 6, 2002. At 6 a.m., she poured herself a cup of black coffee, and tucked into the Boston Globe, savoring a peaceful moment alone before everyone woke up. She stared at the front-page feature: “Church Allowed Abuse by Priest for Years.” The story reported, in excruciating detail, how Boston Cardinal Bernard Law moved an abusive priest from parish to parish after finding out he was molesting young boys.

For years, Barrett Doyle had taken pride not only in her role as a nurturing Catholic mother, but in the ritual of walking into church each Sunday with her children trailing behind like little ducklings. But this—this news rocked her. How could she lead her family through the doors of their beloved St. Agnes Parish now?

She didn’t. Instead of going to Mass, Barrett Doyle and her husband, Bill Doyle, loaded the kids into their minivan and drove to the cardinal’s downtown offices, where protesters had started gathering with signs reading, “Speaking Out Is Holy,” “Keep the Faith, Change the Church,” and “Full Disclosure: Release the Files.”

What do you do when something you love so much goes so terribly, inconceivably wrong? When the institution that breathes life into your days— which for you is akin to believing in food or air—is threatened? Like a parent calling the police on her drug-addicted child, and with the clarity of a true believer, Barrett Doyle knew what to do. 

With so many revelations, Barrett Doyle has considered expanding Bishop Accountability to include other sectors or industries, but says, “There’s no way we could take all of that on.” Her staff does, however, consult with activists from different religions, including Mennonites, Baptists, and Orthodox Jews, on starting their own databases.... 

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