The Crusades were vital for the continued existence of Christian Europe. Muslims were engaged in hundreds, perhaps thousands of raids throughout Europe. Spain, France and Italy were virtually lost. The Holy Land was lost. Without the Crusades Christianity would have been decimated.
Why would any Christian be embarrassed by the crusades? They were a direct response to a problem we still have today.
The Crusades started when the muslims who were tearing through modern day Turkey slaughtering Chrisians were suddenly at the door of Constantipole threatening the same. The Pope in Constantinople asked the Pope in Rome for help. The result was the first "peasants" Crusade.