AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Danny Tran
It’s the spiritual birthplace of the trade union movement, the gateway to Victoria’s gold rush and Australia’s source of Mars Bars.
However, in recent years, the intensely Catholic city of Ballarat in Victoria has been infamous for the gang of paedophile priests which operated with impunity.
Among them was Gerald Ridsdale, who conceded before the child abuse royal commission that even if he had been found out, he would have lied.
He used to be known as Father Gerry or Father Ridsdale — a man who could be trusted because of his devotion to God.
“He was a kind and gentle man, very kind,” said Joanna, a former parishioner who did not want to use her full name.
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