8,575 log on to renounce religion

THE number of disillusioned Catholics who have visited an Irish website where they can renounce their religion has more than doubled in recent months as further sexual abuse scandals besiege the Church’s hierarchy.

Latest figures from www.countmeout.ie show that 8,575 people have completed “declaration of defection” forms to allow them to leave the Church.

The latest numbers on those using the facility follows new allegations of cover-up against the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Seán Brady, as well as the resignations of a number of bishops.