He went on to write that the film "is calm and steady, founded largely on the testimony of Murphy's victims." In 2013, "Mea Maxima Culpa" was nominated for 6 Primetime Emmy Awards, and won in 3 categories, including Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking. It won a Peabody Award in 2013 "for providing a harrowing story of clerical sexual abuse, empowering long-silenced victims and unveiling clandestine Church practices around accusations." Additionally, Gibney received his fourth nomination for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America for this film.