A documentary about a pedophile priest who allegedly abused over 200 deaf boys at the St. John’s School for the Deaf in St. Francis, Wisconsin will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September.Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God chronicles the testimony of some of the victims who were sexually assaulted by Father Lawrence Murphy at the school between 1950 and 1974.
The film also claims that Pope Benedict XVI, then known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was aware of the sexual abuse complaints against Murphy. The film, which is set for a wider release this fall, is directed by Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney.
The website www.abusedinwisconsin.com claims that the Archdiocese received complaints about sexual abuse but the Archbishops allowed Murphy to stay at St. John’s. In 1974, survivors reported Murphy to the police.
The Archdiocese moved Murphy to the Diocese of Superior in Northern Wisconsin where he served for 25 years. He was allowed to work with children and allegedly re-offended.
Victims claiming sexual abuse by Murphy started coming forward and reporting the abuse to the Arichdiocese in the 1990s.
Murphy was never held accountable or removed from the priesthood. He died in 1998.
The law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates has filed a number of lawsuits on behalf of victims who were sexually abused by priests and provides information and updates on the abusedinwisconsin.com website.
More information on the showing of Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God at the Toronto Film Festival is available on their website.
You can click here to access viewing the film but be advised that it may be upsetting....