IRELAND
The Avondhu
August 8, 2018
By Donal O’Keeffe
The Catholic Church is simply not serious about confronting its shameful history of abuse. That’s why media-savvy Pope Francis isn’t stopping here long enough to engage in any meaningful way with Irish survivors, says Donal O’Keeffe.
Did you watch Spotlight on RTÉ1 last Wednesday? It’s a powerful, deeply intelligent 2015 film, directed and co-written by Tom McCarthy, and featuring a top-notch ensemble cast.
It dramatises the story of the Boston Globe’s 2001-2002 ‘Spotlight’ investigation into clerical child abuse in the Boston archdiocese, something Irish viewers will watch with a sense of déjà vu.
If Spotlight could be said to have a villain, it’s the Catholic Church, personified by the late Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston (played by Len Cariou).
There’s a scene early on in Spotlight in which Boston Globe reporter Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo) meets lawyer Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci). Garabedian is representing several victims of clerical abuse, and alleges that Cardinal Law had known Father John Geoghan was a serial child rapist and had done nothing to stop him. Garabedian is doubtful the Globe can challenge the Catholic Church.
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