Komunikace papežů o sexuálním zneužívání mladistvých v katolické církvi. Analýza oficiálních textů Svatého stolce

This article examines the communication strategies of the Popes of the Catholic Church in response to cases of sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church. The authors are interested in how the official communications of the last three popes address this sensitive topic and how the Holy See’s discourse on sexual abuse is developed. The article analyses the official texts of the Holy See signed by the Popes (John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis), taking into account the historical development and current trends in the way they communicate. The authors focus on the communication strategies used and on the naming of the situation and the expression of the relations with victims, representatives of the Church, the faithful and the public. They point out how the Popes applied elements of crisis communication in response to these controversial events. Based on the content and thematic analysis, the text shows that the Catholic Church Popes’ communication regarding sexual abuse has been different. While John Paul II avoided the topic in official communication and Benedict XVI linked it to the overall decline of the faith, Francis relates sexual abuse to clericalism and the abuse of power in the Church in general.