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Questions / The Church and the Pope

What about the Crusades and the Inquisition?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Catholic Answers

Video: The Truth About the Crusades, Catholic Answers Live, published Sep 16, 2016. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: The Church admits her members have sinned. She’s holy because of Christ, and always in need of cleaning up. CCC 827

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

The Church is “at once holy and always in need of purification.” CCC 827

All her members, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners. CCC 827

Our words

Some of what was done in the Church’s name was terrible, and in 2000 St. John Paul II publicly asked forgiveness for sins committed by her members. History is also more complicated than the myths. Be honest about both.

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Sources on this page

How we know · 1 Catechism paragraph
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 827 (official text on vatican.va).

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