NORTHERN IRELAND
The Irish News
September 21, 2020
By Connla Young
https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/09/21/news/victim-of-malachy-finegan-to-launch-legal-action-against-pope-and-catholic-authorities-in-ireland-2072636/
A victim of Malachy Finegan is to launch legal action against Pope Francis and Catholic Church authorities in Ireland.
The priest has been accused of sexual abuse across Co Down, including at St Colman’s College in Newry where he taught from 1967 and was president for a decade.
At least 12 young boys are thought to have been sexually abused while he was at St Colman’s, while many more were physically abused.
Finegan, who died in 2002, was also a parish priest of Clonduff in Hilltown in Co Down, where it is alleged he carried out further serious sexual abuse.
Concerns have also been raised that he may have been an RUC informer.
It emerged last year that the Public Prosecution Service had decided not to prosecute in eight cases following a police investigation linked to the activities of the former cleric.
The Irish News has now learned that one of his victims is to launch legal action against the Diocese of Dromore, the Archdiocese of Armagh, the Bishop of Rome and the Holy See, arising out of allegations of abuse.
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