Social Network Analysis (SNA) has shed powerful light on cultures where the influence of patronage, preferment, and reciprocal obligations are traditionally important. Accordingly, we argue here that episcopal appointments, culture, and governance within the Catholic Church are ideal topics for SNA interrogation. We analyse original network data for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Significantly, we show how a network-informed approach may help with the urgent task of understanding the ecclesiastical cultures in which sexual abuse occurs, and/or is enabled, ignored, and covered up. Particular reference is made to Theodore McCarrick, the former DC Archbishop "dismissed from the clerical state" for sexual offences. Commentators naturally use terms like "protege", "clique", "network", and "kingmaker" when discussing both the McCarrick affair and church politics more generally: precisely such folk-descriptions of social and political life that SNA is designed to quantify and explain.

中文翻译：

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权力、偏好和赞助：天主教主教、社交网络和前红衣主教麦卡里克的事件

社交网络分析 (SNA) 为传统上重视赞助、优先和互惠义务的影响的文化提供了强有力的启示。因此，我们在此认为天主教会内的主教任命、文化和治理是 SNA 审讯的理想主题。我们分析了英格兰和威尔士天主教主教会议以及美国天主教主教会议的原始网络数据。重要的是，我们展示了网络知情方法如何帮助理解发生性虐待和/或被启用、忽视和掩盖的教会文化的紧迫任务。特别提到西奥多麦卡里克，前 DC 大主教因性犯罪“被神职人员解雇”。评论员自然会使用诸如“