bbc | The 18-month investigation graphically detailed numerous instances of
Catholic clergy members raping and molesting children in several
Pennsylvania dioceses, which in total represent about 1.7 million
Catholics.
"Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men
of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it
all," the 1,300-page report found.
The horrific allegations include:
- One priest forced a nine-year-old boy to rinse out his mouth with holy water after abusing him.
- A boy was made to confess his sins to the priest who had abused him.
- A priest who was accused of abuse by three boys was later hired by Disney World after receiving a positive job reference from the church.
- A priest raped a seven-year-girl when he visited her in hospital after she had her tonsils out.
- One child was made to pose naked, like Christ on the crucifix, as priests photographed him. Priests gave that boy a gold chain with a cross so that other predator priests would know he had been abused.
- Repeated abuse by a priest left one boy with lasting back injuries. He became addicted to painkillers and died of an overdose.
