Amy WangFather O'Grady - Catholic Paedophile
June 29th 2009 12:31
I watched a documentary film recently. It was called 'Deliver us From Evil'. It was about a Catholic Priest who raped and molested over a hundred children. It was phenomenal.
This film, I admit was very hard to sit through. The film really delved into the mindset of Oliver O'Grady the priest and even had interviews with him outside of the courtroom. The effect at the beginning had almost a soothing effect, almost as if the story of his past was being told through his perspective and therefore allowed me or the audience to side with him. It was all about forgiveness at the beginning. However, this couldn't be more far from the truth by the time the end credits began rolling. As the film progressed, everything began to unravel and the audience by the end is given a clear, and might I add, very unbiased look at the unnerving facts. I have much to say about this film. Not only for its contents and being a brilliant film, but also the truth behind the film and how much of an important issue this is in our lives today.
Plot/Facts
Oliver O'Grady grew up in Ireland until he was shipped to the United States to become a priest of a small town in California. There, he molested and raped hundreds of children under the supervision of higher authority. Knowing what was happening beneath them, the higher powers of the Catholic Church moved the priest instead of charging him with rape. They protected him and the church from humiliation and swept whatever secrets under the rug. O'Grady was moved 4 or 5 times until finally, he was captures by the authorities and charged. He was shipped back to Ireland where he now remains, free from any further charges or sentences. His victims ranged from 9 months to 15 years and consisted of boys and girls. His actions have caused grief not only to his victims, but also to their families and communities. The few who were interviewed in this documentary all had severe mental disabilities and had all at one time or another battled depression. The film does not rely on a narrative commentator, but instead is comprised of interviews with O'Grady, his victims, courtroom recordings of his trial, interviews with the higher bishops, their lawyers and authority men (cops). The result combines all of those sources to deliver a story of heartache and repulsion of one man.
Firstly, can I just ask....WHAT KIND OF SICK FREAK WOULD RAPE A 9 MONTH OLD BABY?!?!?! That to me is just pretty much the most vulgar thing a human being can do. Ripping and exploiting the innocence of such a young child, who doesn't even know how the world works yet is just disgusting. Imagine walking in on someone doing that. Too much.
Secondly, now this is a major issue that his film is exploring. I'd like to know everyone else's thoughts towards Church Paedophilia and how it is handled in the present day. According to the film, around 10% of priests in America have been reported for sexual misconduct. Whether they were true accusations is another matter, but the fact remains, 1 out of 10 priests could have illegally touched a child inappropriately. That is a huge number. And the fact that they're priests does not help. I mean, aren't priests supposed to be the divine being? The one man who retains all the grace that God has given humanity. How could O'Grady have been preaching about greed, about love, about family, about sin when he was raping young children? That baffles me. He would've been thinking about touching kids 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to have had so many victims.
Is this man forgivable? Do you think for what he's done, if he was sorry, would and could God forgive him and allow him into heaven? For all the lives he had destroyed, I'm not sure. Would God have appointed this man to be God's communicator? Could God have selected him to be the bridge between humanity and God?
The film really highlighted the severity of this issue very strongly. It's angle was very different, blaming higher authority rather than just the perpetrator himself. Father O'Grady's superiors did nothing to stop his actions and therefore, they must also be blamed. During one case, the higher authority actually replied to one abused victim, saying, it only counts as sexual abuse when the child is a male. That to me, just proves that the Catholic system would do anything to preserve is prestige and trust among its followers. Can you also blame O'Grady's past? He claimed he was also sexually abused by a priest when he was 10. He also admitted he was involved in initiating and participating in sex with his brother and sister when he was young. Obviously these things contributed/caused his behaviour but should they excuse him from taking responsibility for his own actions? Why the priests? Is it because they are forbidden to ever get married, have kids or have sexual intercourse? Is it because it is human nature therefore to disobey those rules and do what is forbidden?
Whether you believe in God or not, I think this is a film everyone needs to watch. Although it is quite heavy and by the end, you feel like you have been cheated by the very people you trust, you will be glad you knew this part of society lives among us.
I give this film 4.5 STARS OUT OF 5.
Peace out.
This film, I admit was very hard to sit through. The film really delved into the mindset of Oliver O'Grady the priest and even had interviews with him outside of the courtroom. The effect at the beginning had almost a soothing effect, almost as if the story of his past was being told through his perspective and therefore allowed me or the audience to side with him. It was all about forgiveness at the beginning. However, this couldn't be more far from the truth by the time the end credits began rolling. As the film progressed, everything began to unravel and the audience by the end is given a clear, and might I add, very unbiased look at the unnerving facts. I have much to say about this film. Not only for its contents and being a brilliant film, but also the truth behind the film and how much of an important issue this is in our lives today.
Plot/Facts
Oliver O'Grady grew up in Ireland until he was shipped to the United States to become a priest of a small town in California. There, he molested and raped hundreds of children under the supervision of higher authority. Knowing what was happening beneath them, the higher powers of the Catholic Church moved the priest instead of charging him with rape. They protected him and the church from humiliation and swept whatever secrets under the rug. O'Grady was moved 4 or 5 times until finally, he was captures by the authorities and charged. He was shipped back to Ireland where he now remains, free from any further charges or sentences. His victims ranged from 9 months to 15 years and consisted of boys and girls. His actions have caused grief not only to his victims, but also to their families and communities. The few who were interviewed in this documentary all had severe mental disabilities and had all at one time or another battled depression. The film does not rely on a narrative commentator, but instead is comprised of interviews with O'Grady, his victims, courtroom recordings of his trial, interviews with the higher bishops, their lawyers and authority men (cops). The result combines all of those sources to deliver a story of heartache and repulsion of one man.
Firstly, can I just ask....WHAT KIND OF SICK FREAK WOULD RAPE A 9 MONTH OLD BABY?!?!?! That to me is just pretty much the most vulgar thing a human being can do. Ripping and exploiting the innocence of such a young child, who doesn't even know how the world works yet is just disgusting. Imagine walking in on someone doing that. Too much.
Secondly, now this is a major issue that his film is exploring. I'd like to know everyone else's thoughts towards Church Paedophilia and how it is handled in the present day. According to the film, around 10% of priests in America have been reported for sexual misconduct. Whether they were true accusations is another matter, but the fact remains, 1 out of 10 priests could have illegally touched a child inappropriately. That is a huge number. And the fact that they're priests does not help. I mean, aren't priests supposed to be the divine being? The one man who retains all the grace that God has given humanity. How could O'Grady have been preaching about greed, about love, about family, about sin when he was raping young children? That baffles me. He would've been thinking about touching kids 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to have had so many victims.
Is this man forgivable? Do you think for what he's done, if he was sorry, would and could God forgive him and allow him into heaven? For all the lives he had destroyed, I'm not sure. Would God have appointed this man to be God's communicator? Could God have selected him to be the bridge between humanity and God?
The film really highlighted the severity of this issue very strongly. It's angle was very different, blaming higher authority rather than just the perpetrator himself. Father O'Grady's superiors did nothing to stop his actions and therefore, they must also be blamed. During one case, the higher authority actually replied to one abused victim, saying, it only counts as sexual abuse when the child is a male. That to me, just proves that the Catholic system would do anything to preserve is prestige and trust among its followers. Can you also blame O'Grady's past? He claimed he was also sexually abused by a priest when he was 10. He also admitted he was involved in initiating and participating in sex with his brother and sister when he was young. Obviously these things contributed/caused his behaviour but should they excuse him from taking responsibility for his own actions? Why the priests? Is it because they are forbidden to ever get married, have kids or have sexual intercourse? Is it because it is human nature therefore to disobey those rules and do what is forbidden?
Whether you believe in God or not, I think this is a film everyone needs to watch. Although it is quite heavy and by the end, you feel like you have been cheated by the very people you trust, you will be glad you knew this part of society lives among us.
I give this film 4.5 STARS OUT OF 5.
Peace out.
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