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One in twenty Catholic priests
PETER FROST discovers little is being done to clean out the cesspit of abuse and hypocrisy in the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
Eamon Reid (right) abused by priests confronts Archbishop Diamuid Martin at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin

ABUSE in the British Roman Catholic Church is in the news again. The country’s most senior Catholic cleric Cardinal Nichols apologised for withholding evidence of abuse allegations made against JRR Tolkien’s son when he was a priest.

He said he was keener on settling legal action against the Church quickly when, in 2002, he chose not to disclose a key document to a complainant. Cardinal Nichols said:  “My main purpose, I must admit, was to try and avoid civil action in court.”

The priest, John Tolkien, who died in 2003 aged 85, had been accused of twice sexually abusing the 11-year-old Mr Carrie in the mid-1950s, explaining his actions as a blessing.

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