FLORIDA
Irish Independent
Greg Harkin
PUBLISHED
26/01/2016
VICTIMS of clerical sex abuse have staged a protest in Florida in support of an Irish priest who claims he was ostracised by the Catholic Church for calling police to arrest a paedophile cleric.
The march and protest at the Diocese of Palm Beach came after a spokeswoman for the church there finally issued a statement on the affair and denied a decision to move Fr John Gallagher was linked to the incident.
Tonight, Fr John Gallagher, from Co Tyrone, stood by his allegation that the Catholic Church was unhappy that he had called police before telling his Bishop about the actions of Fr Jose Palimattom.
The Indian-born cleric was arrested at the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in West Palm Beach in January last year after showing child porn images on his phone to a 14-year-old boy.
Fr Gallagher, who called detectives, alleged that a church official had told him to put Palimattom on a plane.
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