This compelling documentary by filmmaker Amy Berg tells the true story of Father Oliver O’Grady, a Catholic priest who molested countless children in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles over a period of 20 years. 

Many documentaries have been made in recent times about child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.  A common issue raised by them all is that the church hierarchy knew about perpetrators and shuffled them between parishes.  ‘Deliver us From Evil’ is no exception. 

The main distinguishing feature of this documentary is that Berg manages to track down ‘Father Ollie’, as he was known, and interviews him on camera.  His affable demeanor is extremely discomforting as he casually describes the nature of his offending, and appears oblivious to the long-term impact of the trauma caused by his actions.  The discomfort is heightened by the fact that much of the interview is conducted in public spaces with children in the background.

Berg is never seen or heard in the film.  She uses the footage from interviews and from legal depositions to let the story unfold.  Three survivors of his abuse, and their families, reveal the extent to which O’Grady ingratiated himself into their lives in order to offend.  This is indicated by one statement by the mother of one survivor - “He was the closest thing to God that we knew.”  In another case, O’Grady seduced the mother of one of his child victims.

Moving beyond the ‘protecting the name of the Church’ argument’, one of Berg’s premises in the film is that, because the hierarchical structure of the church rewards those with a good reputation, one’s reputation must be protected - even if it is at the risk of further endangering children. 

Cardinal Roger Maloney is singled out as a senior figure that minimized the early reports of abuse by O’Grady and others in order to prevent scandal that would hinder is own career.  On several occasions, he simply moved O’Grady to another parish where nobody knew his past.  More than 556 priests under Maloney’s jurisdiction have been accused of child sexual abuse.

There are at least three recent documentaries made for television on child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church that may be screened in Australia in the next twelve months - ‘Hand of God’ (Frontline, PBS), ‘Sex Crimes and the Vatican’ (Panorama, BBC), and ‘Sins of the Father (360°, CNN).  While they all criticize the Catholic Church hierarchy, they do not get direct access to the perpetrator as Berg does in ‘Deliver us from Evil’.  And experiencing this type of film in a movie theatre is completely different to watching it on television.  Seeing O’Grady and hearing the audience respond is discomforting to say the least.

The dynamics of sexual abuse include the misuse of positional power, of which some choose to take advantage for their own ends.  The inappropriateness of O’Grady’s interactions with families and children is also clear in hindsight.  O’Grady was the wolf in sheep’s clothing; he had no boundaries with his parishioners and they never questioned his conduct. 

This film is not just about something that happened in another time and place.  It warns that the potential for this type of abuse is ever-present in hierarchical, religious institutions where love and trust are fundamental.  The lesson for all people involved in churches is this - Ignore the knowledge and experience behind child protection policies and codes of conduct to the peril of our most vulnerable, and their families.

‘Deliver us from Evil’ opens in cinemas around Australia from 17 May.
Visit the movie online at - www.deliverusfromevilthemovie.com