Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church

The Findings of the Investigation That Inspired the Major Motion Picture Spotlight

By: The Investigative Staff of the Boston Globe

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

The story behind this groundbreaking audiobook - one of the most significant works of investigative journalism since Woodward and Bernstein's reporting on Watergate - has been brought brilliantly to life on the screen in the major new movie Spotlight.

Here are the devastating revelations that triggered a crisis within the Catholic Church. Here is the truth about the scores of abusive priests who preyed upon innocent children and the cabal of senior church officials who covered up their crimes. Here is the trail of "hush money" that the Catholic Church secretly paid to buy victims' silence - deeds that left millions of the faithful in the US and around the world shocked, angry, and confused. Here as well is a vivid account of the ongoing struggle as Catholics confront their church and call for sweeping change.

©2002 The Investigative Staff of the Boston Globe (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Remarkable!

This is not only told through great narration but the story will shock you. With victims stories being told and getting the full picture of the cover up will have you wanting shaking your head. It’s amazing!

All good but...learn the proper pronunciations

I just wish that narrators would speak with people from the area to make sure they are pronouncing the names of people and places correctly. I definitely don't want to hear this narrator say 'Methuen,' 'Haverhill' or 'Bulger' ever again.

very scary

this book is well written but scary. be advised. these are some sick sick sickos. goddamn! lots.of victims made by a corrupt system..

It’ll piss you off!

The depths that this scandal goes if beyond comprehension. It needs to be told and it was interesting.

Horrible narration but still worth the read.

A hard story well-hard

The book fills in the details left out in the movie. It can be hard to listen to the tales of abuse but I think it is necessary to make sure changes happen in the church and to hold the church accountable.

Fascinating story, marred by mispronunciations

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend it with a caveat if my friend were from the Boston area. A number of proper nouns were mispronounced, mispronunciations that wouldn't have happened if the production team had asked someone from the Boston area how to pronounce Haverhill (HAY-vrill, not Have-er-hill), Methuen (M'-THOO-en, not METH-uen), Framingham (Framing-Ham, not Framingum) and Bulger (Buljer). The last one, in particular, jarred because it was repeated so frequently. (It's a man's last name.)

What did you like best about this story?

The wealth of detail and how it was organized.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Paul Boehmer?

Maybe.

Was Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church worth the listening time?

Absolutely.

Amazing

I enjoyed the book, because I never knew that anyone went to jail over these horrible crimes.
I hope the church can recover and make itself a shining light as it should be.
The revelation of the scope of these crimes not only robbed the children, but also robbed the country of its innocence. The church is made up of people. when they commit horrible crimes they should go to jail.

Bless me Father for I have sinned...

We were taught to respect clergy as being next to Godliness. We bowed. We genuflected. We tithed as children, to give our pennies to the religious, to gain heavenly happiness. They are nothing more than the 20th century Santa Claus.

Devastating Portrayal of Catholic Negligence

Would you consider the audio edition of Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church to be better than the print version?

As I have never read the print version, I am unable to sufficiently answer.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

It was pure reportage. Though a mixture of reporting on the subject and a background on the process behind the reporting, a la All The President's Men, may have offered a different perspective on the story, the fundamental documentation of the sins of the Catholic Church regarding sexual abuse by priests, specifically Cardinal Law of Boston, was jaw dropping and disheartening.

Any additional comments?

This was a real page turner but, without introducing the reporters into the story as many journalistic tomes do, the narrative was too provincial. This happened nationwide, for that matter, throughout most of the Cold War era termed "First World," but it only briefly touched on stories outside the archdiocese of Boston.

Important story, excessively detailed

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Make it briefer. A plethora of abuse examples is sufficient. Authors describe many more examples than that. Accordingly, story is tedious. As a reference this book is excellent. As an efficient description of the extent and bogus rationale and denial of abuse it is overkill.

What did you like best about this story?

The convincing and alarming exposure of abuse by holier-than-thou clerics. My parents attempted to raise me Catholic, but I at an early age recognized the church's hypocrisy and in humane practices. I still visit the church , pray, and light candles, but am likely to discount self-serving catholic rules, which are often counterproductive.

Have you listened to any of Paul Boehmer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not sure. He is a bit monotone but has clear enunciation. I would not select him as a preferred narrator and would only listen to another of his books if the subject matter was very important and the reading which. Difficult to attend to his unvaried speech patterns.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I did see it. Brilliant. Spotlight is title.

Any additional comments?

Overall, a worthwhile listen but could have with tighter editing and more interesting have been much better.