Graphic details of the sexual abuse victims in the Pennsylvania Catholic churches underwent has been released after the two-year investigation.
Almost all the cases of reported sexual abuse were swept under the rug and victims were never cared for accordingly.
A 'ring of predatory priests' within the Diocese of Pittsburgh was uncovered in the investigation. The group included George Zirwas, Francis Pucci, Robert Wolk and Richard Zula who exchanged the victims among themselves and manufactured child pornography. They often used "whips, violence and sadism in raping their victims."
One victim, identified as "George," was forced to get up on a bed and remove his shirt as the priests watched. They then asked George to remove his pants as they drew on him the image of Christ on the cross and took Polaroid pictures of him.
George said the priests often did that to a handful of boys they favored and would also take them on trips and give them gifts.
The priests gave their favorite boys big gold crosses to wear. According to the grand jury report, the crosses "were a designation that these children were victims of sexual abuse. They were a signal to other predators that the children had been desensitized to sexual abuse and were optimal targets for further victimization."
There are also at least three instances of priests fathering a child with a victim as well as cases of priests paying for sex with young victims.
The Vatican reportedly had "no comment" on the matter and Pope Francis declined to acknowledge the breakthrough investigation as he stood over St. Peter's Square and sent his prayers to the victim's of the bridge collapse in Italy.
Listen to Victim's Attorney John Manly's interview with John about the horrific abuse and why the cases were kept quiet for so long.
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