Grounded in crisis communication theory (Coombs, 2007), this paper examines the communication strategies employed by the last three popes in response to cases of sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church. The study focuses on how this sensitive issue has been addressed in official papal documents and how the Holy See's discourse on sexual abuse has evolved since the issue gained global public attention following the investigative reporting of The Boston Globe's Spotlight team in 2002. Using content and thematic analysis, the research examines more than 4,000 official Vatican texts signed by John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. The analysis considers both the broader historical context and the communication strategies used in addressing the crisis. Particular attention is paid to crisis communication strategies and their role in shaping the institutional response to this highly controversial issue. The findings reveal a significant shift in the Vatican's communicative approach. John Paul II largely avoided explicit engagement with the topic in official discourse. Benedict XVI acknowledged the problem but framed it within a broader narrative of the decline of faith and moral values in contemporary society. Francis, by contrast, has increasingly framed sexual abuse as a systemic problem linked to clericalism and the abuse of power, explicitly addressing institutional responsibility. By tracing this transformation from discursive avoidance to apology, explicit acknowledgment, and institutional accountability, the study provides insights into the evolve of Vatican crisis communication and the ways religious institutions respond to reputational crises.