The Man Who Sued the Pope
When Colm O'Gorman infamously sued the Vatican for sexual abuse, he catalysed a wave of new cases. As the abuse scandal continues to shake the Catholic Church, we revisit that legacy.
"One of the priests handpicked a group of boys to assist him at mass. One of these boys came back every day in tears." Shane Dunphy, investigator in the Fern Inquiry, remembers his horror in discovering that the priest had sexually abused his classmate for over a year. "In catholic dioceses across the world, there were deliberate, clinical decisions made to cover up these crimes." The inquiry's legacy has been an unprecedented exposure of this abuse. Compensation has been paid to over 12,000 individuals in Ireland. However, the government's decision to subsidise this compensation is sparking new outrage: "Why is the taxpayer paying for religious abuse?" As the Vatican continues to block evidence and shield itself by citing canon law, it is clear that this is still a battle of David and Goliath proportions.
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