ABSTRACT
Scandals related to the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults, and their cover-ups, have been uncovered in different types of organizations such as industries, sports, and religion. This phenomenon is contrary to the formal mission of these organizations and has persisted without detection because informal networks have circumvented formal controls. The role of social networks in the corruption of organizations is an understudied area. Informal networks are the means by which the goals of formal organizational are modified. In the Catholic Church, social networks are constructed according to the motivators that shape the involvement of members. Some are motivated by the discipline the Church offers. Others are motivated by the mission of the Church and the norms that accompany it. For others, the power, privilege, and prestige of Church office motivates them and their affiliations. This latter network is vulnerable to engaging in malfeasance and its cover-up in the Church. This chapter employs archival data to explicate this assertion.
