AUSTRALIA
International Business Times
Australian Serial Paedophile Priest Described Abuse as ‘God’s Work,’ Told Victims They Were ‘God’s Little Angel,’ Victims Had Lost Faith in the Catholic Church
By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | March 19, 2014
Gerald Francis Ridsdale, a former Australian Catholic priest, described his paedophile tendencies as “God’s work.” In raping a four-year-old girl, he told her she was “God’s little angel.”
Mr Ridsdale has admitted his guilt in sexually abusing 45 children that spanned 20 years from 1961 up to 1980.
One of his victims, who was under the care of the Catholic diocese, said she indecently assaulted during holiday drives when she was between 10 and 13 years old.
“I trusted you, Gerald Ridsdale, you represented God and all that is good,” she said as she read her victim statement on Tuesday to the Victorian County Court. “You exploited, manipulated and humiliated me while you hid behind the veil of the church.”
Several of his victims said they had lost faith in the Catholic Church because despite knowing about the paedophile priest ungodly acts, the institution still refused and failed to act on complaints.
“I’m unable to have any faith in them as an organisation,” one said in his victim statement.
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