Ryan findings prompt launch of US database

A DATABASE of Church-run institutions has been set up by a Church watchdog in the US following the findings of the Ryan report into abuse in Ireland.

BishopAccountability.org set up the database claiming it had received similar allegations of child abuse in the American institutions as those uncovered by the report here.

Terry McKiernan, the head of the website, said: “We... certainly noticed abuse occurred at residential facilities, but we hadn’t really put it in that category and realised there were a number of residential facilities — adding up to a lot of vulnerable children — and that priests who liked to do this kind of thing would likely target those vulnerable populations.”