Richard Sipe -- We lost a giant
We Honor Richard Sipe and Mourn His Passing
Another warrior has fallen.
Sadly, A.W. Richard Sipe passed away on August 8th. He was a courageous soul who did battle with the ignorance, arrogance, and mindless authoritarianism of the largest institution in the world, the Roman Catholic Church. He engaged with passion and argued with facts and research. He stood alongside survivors and fought with us and for us. He was a comrade in arms, linked to all of us.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to know Richard recognized his heroism and courage, which may not be apparent to those on the outside. We shall carry our warm memories forward and keep them close. Richard was indeed a hero, and his bravery will inspire us as we continue to move forward. He will be sorely missed.
We here at SNAP honor A. W. Richard Sipe and mourn his passing.
SNAP Board of Directors
Richard spent 18 years as a Benedictine monk and priest and trained specifically to deal with the mental health problems of priests. He conducted a 25-year ethnographic study of the celibate/sexual behavior of that population. His study, published in 1990, is now considered a classic. He served as a consultant and expert witness in hundreds of civil and criminal cases involving the sexual abuse of minors by priests. Richard is known internationally for his many books and studies.
Here, Richard and Phil Saviano discuss the church's response to allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqhlYGkmcE8
Richard has four books on SNAP's recommended reading list: Courage At Three AM, Sex, Priests and Power: Anatomy of a Crisis, Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes: The Catholic Church's 2,000-Year Paper Trail of Sexual Abuse, and Celibacy in Crisis: A Secret World Revisited.
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