Revelation (TV series)

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Revelation
Revelation Official Poster.jpg
GenreDocumentary
Created byNial Fulton
Sarah Ferguson
Written byTony Jones
Directed byNial Fulton
Sarah Ferguson
Presented bySarah Ferguson
ComposerHelena Czajka
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes3
Production
ProducerNial Fulton
Production locationsAustralia, Ireland, United States, New Zealand, Italy
Cinematography
  • Aaron Smith
  • Richard Kendrick
  • Martin McGrath
Editors
  • Lile Judickas
  • Philippa Rowlands
Production companyIn Films
Release
Original networkAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
Original releaseMarch 17, 2020 (2020-03-17) –
2 April 2020 (2020-04-02)

Revelation is a three-episode Australian documentary series directed by Nial Fulton and Sarah Ferguson. The series was broadcast on ABC TV in March 2020. In a world television first, the producers took cameras into the criminal trials of Catholic priests accused of sex crimes against children and interviewed Father Vincent Ryan and Brother Bernard McGrath, two of the most prolific child sex abusers in Australia. The final episode features Cardinal George Pell, a senior Catholic cleric accused of abusing boys at a Ballarat orphanage in Australia.[1][2]

Production[]

The series was produced by In Films for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and was shot in the Vatican, Ireland, New Zealand and multiple locations around Australia, including the Catholic dioceses of Ballarat and Maitland-Newcastle.[3]

Following lengthy negotiations, the producers were granted permission to bring cameras into the New South Wales District Court to film the 2019 child sex abuse criminal trails of Father Vincent Ryan and Brother Bernard McGrath. Ryan's trial was filmed over six weeks and McGrath's over a seven-month period. It was the first time anywhere in the world that cameras had been allowed into a clerical child abuse trial. Both Ryan and McGrath consented to their trials being recorded for the series.

In another television first, NSW Corrective Services granted permission for a four-person film crew to enter a maximum security prison to interview Bernard McGrath, a former member of the Catholic religious order the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God. McGrath is serving a 39-year prison sentence for multiple sex offences against young boys under his care in Kendall Grange, New South Wales.

Broadcast[]

Episode 1 was broadcast on 17 March 2020 on ABC TV. Episode 2 was postponed due to the prime minister's televised address to the nation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and went to air on 31 March. Episode 3 was screened two days later on 2 April.[4]

Key people[]

  • Sarah Ferguson - presenter

Episode 1: "The Children have been used by the Devil"

  • Vincent Ryan - convicted priest, Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
  • Gerard McDonald - victim of Vincent Ryan
  • Peter Dorn - victim of Vincent Ryan
  • Scott Hallett - victim of Vincent Ryan
  • Bill Burston - Catholic priest, Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
  • Troy Grant - former police officer
  • Michael King - Vincent Ryan's barrister
  • David Patch - Crown prosecutor, Ryan 2019 trial
  • William Wright - Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle
  • Dina Yehia - judge, NSW District Court
  • Mary McAleese - former President of Ireland
  • Colm O'Gorman - Irish survivor of clerical abuse

Episode 2: "A Dangerous Place to be a Child"

Episode 3: - "Goliath"

  • Bernie - former resident, Nazareth House Boys Home, Ballarat
  • Peter Clarke - former resident, Nazareth House Boys Home, Ballarat
  • Albert Azzopardi - former resident, Nazareth House Boys Home, Ballarat
  • Philip Clarke - former resident, Nazareth House Boys Home, Ballarat
  • Steve Blacker - victim of Father Gerald Ridsdale
  • Shirley Ridsdale - sister of Father Gerald Ridsdale
  • Viv Waller - lawyer, Melbourne
  • Judy Courtin - lawyer, Melbourne
  • William Melican - Catholic priest, Diocese of Ballarat
  • Eric Bryant - Catholic priest, Diocese of Ballarat
  • George Pell (archive) - cardinal
  • Charles Scicluna - Archbishop of Malta
  • Mark Coleridge - Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia
  • David Marr - journalist
  • Peter McClellan - chair, Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
  • Steve Bannon - political strategist
  • Mary McAleese - former President of Ireland
  • Peter Saunders - British victim's advocate
  • David O'Brien - barrister, Melbourne

Episodes[]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateLength (minutes)
1"The Children Have Been Used by the Devil"Nial Fulton
Sarah Ferguson		Sarah Ferguson
Tony Jones		17 March 2020 (2020-03-17)87
2"A Dangerous Place To Be A Child"Nial Fulton
Sarah Ferguson		Tony Jones29 March 2020 (2020-03-29)90
3"Goliath"Nial Fulton
Sarah Ferguson		Tony Jones2 April 2020 (2020-04-02)102

Reception[]

Critical response[]

The series met with positive reviews. Holly Byrnes of the The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) wrote that "Walkley award-winning journalist Sarah Ferguson has delivered some of the best TV journalism this country has ever witnessed, but Revelation might just be the pinnacle."[5] Bridget McManus from The Age (Melbourne) gave it a four out of five star rating, calling it a "searing documentary series".[6][7] Brigid Delaney, a senior writer for the Guardian Australia, wrote "You'll need a strong stomach to digest Revelation's insights into child sexual abuse in the Catholic church."[8]

In The Australian, Graeme Blundell wrote that "although it is often difficult to watch, Ferguson and her exemplary production team, including executive producer Nial Fulton, principal cinematographer Aaron Smith and researchers Sophie Randerson, Kate Wild and Alison McClymont, have been able to shed light not only on their heinous atrocities but how the Catholic Church repeatedly chose secrecy over transparency and accountability. It is a confronting, awful study of a church that not only fell to decay but seems beyond renewal, achingly absent of integrity and grace." Blundell also praises Ferguson for her restraint, saying that "the interviews she conducts, initially with Ryan and later with Bernard McGrath, a former St John of God brother, teacher and headmaster in residential schools in Australia and New Zealand, serving 39 years for crimes against children, are harrowing and disturbing as she provokes and exposes a web of conspiracy and perversion. She tries to display no explicit emotion as she questions Ryan but can only just conceal her ethical disgust behind that journalistic veneer of taut self-control."[9]

The series won the Walkley Documentary Award[10] on 20 November 2020. The judges' citation read: "This haunting documentary broke new ground on an issue already well covered by the media and investigated by police and the Royal Commission alike. The extraordinary access to some of the Catholic Church’s most notorious perpetrators of sexual abuse against children, as well as the insight it gave viewers into court proceedings, showed just how powerful journalistic documentary-making can be."[11]

In December 2020, Revelation won Best Documentary Series at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.[12][13]

Controversy[]

Despite the fact that his own newspaper, the Herald Sun (Melbourne), broke the story about George Pell's alleged sexual abuse of children in 2016, Andrew Bolt, a News Corp columnist and outspoken supporter of Pell, attacked the ABC and the filmmakers, saying that the series was part of a "witch-hunt" against Pell. Following his acquittal, other vocal supporters of Pell, including Miranda Devine and Gerard Henderson, condemned those who had reported on the story.[14] Numerous Newscorp journalists made the claim that the ABC's reporting on the Pell case was one-sided and biased.[citation needed]

Greg Craven, the then vice-chancellor of the Australian Catholic University and a long-time friend of Pell, accused the ABC and police of "polluting" the legal atmosphere around the cardinal's Victorian trial.[15] The ABC denied Craven's allegations that the broadcaster had intentionally brought forward Episode 3 of Revelation in an attempt to influence the High Court.[16]

The ABC responded to the News Corp claims, stating that "The ABC has always acted in the public interest in reporting on the police investigation into Cardinal George Pell and in investigating other allegations made against him. The ABC firmly rejects claims that it pursued a 'witch hunt' against Cardinal Pell, that it engaged in 'vigilante' journalism or that its coverage was one-sided or unfair."[citation needed]

The Guardian Australia journalist Margaret Simmons also formed the view that the ABC's reporting on Pell did not "step over the line".[17]

Awards and nominations[]

Awards and nominations
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
Screen Producers Australia Awards March, 2022 Best Documentary Series Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Pending
Australian Directors Guild Awards December 2021 Best Direction in a Documentary Series Nial Fulton, Sarah Ferguson Nominated
Walkley Awards 2020 Walkley Documentary Award Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Won
2020 Television Camerawork (Episode 3) Aaron Smith Nominated
Asian Academy Creative Awards December, 2020 Best Documentary Series Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Won
November, 2020 Best Documentary Series (National Winner) Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Won
Australian Cinematographers Society Awards November, 2020 Gold Award (Episode 3) Aaron Smith Won
Australian Screen Editors November, 2020 Best Editing in a Documentary (Episode 3) Philippa Rowlands Won
Florence Film Awards November, 2020 Best Editing Philippa Rowlands Won
November, 2020 Best Original Score Helena Czajka Won
Spotlight Documentary Film Awards January, 2021 Gold Award Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Won
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards November, 2020 Best Editing in a Documentary (Episode 3) Philippa Rowlands Nominated
November, 2020 Best Cinematography in a Documentary (Episode 1) Aaron Smith, Andy Taylor, Martin McGrath Nominated
Banff World Media Festival June, 2021 Social Issues and Current Affairs Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Nominated
Australian International Documentary Conference Awards March, 2021 Best Documentary Series Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton, Tony Jones Nominated

Response from the Catholic Church[]

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle responded to the imminent release of the series by issuing an open letter to their parishioners attempting to justify their failure to have convicted priest Father Vincent Ryan laicised. This was subsequently followed by a more detailed press release, including a timeline of Ryan's offending, Bishop Leo Clarke's failure to respond to Ryan's abuse, the treatment of the Nash family and Father William Burston.[18] The report concluded that Ryan was "properly convicted" and that Andrew Nash "tragically committed suicide" after he was "abused by the criminal William Cable 'Br Romuald'".[18] It was also claimed that the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith would recommend to Pope Francis that Ryan be laicised.[18]

Following the broadcast, a plaque celebrating the life of Bishop Clarke was removed from the Maitland cathedral and an internal Catholic investigation was launched by Bishop Bill Wright regarding Father Burston's interview, who told Sarah Ferguson that he thought the suicide of 13-year-old Andrew Nash in 1974 was a "prank gone wrong".[19][20]

Wright confirmed the internal investigation had concluded "some time ago" and that Burston had voluntarily agreed to no longer celebrate Mass or other church rituals. Audrey Nash had not been notified about the outcome of the investigation.

The Royal Commission Case Study 43 was released in October 2020 and found that Burston knew in 1976 that there had been a complaint of "sexually inappropriate behaviour" against Ryan.[21]

Diocese of Ballarat

The Bishop of Ballarat, Paul Bird, issued a press release on 17 March 2020 warning parishioners that they might find some of the material in the show confronting and painful.[22]

Brothers of St John of God

On 7 April 2020, the hospitaller order of the Brothers of St John of God posted a statement about the series on their website.[23] The order did not deny the allegations that they had prior knowledge of Bernard McGrath's sexual offending against children under his care and moved him from Australia to New Zealand and later to the Jemez Springs treatment facility run by the Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico, United States.[24]

Archdiocese of Sydney

On 2 April 2020, the Archdiocese of Sydney responded to the allegations raised against Cardinal George Pell in episode 3 of the series by issuing a short press release.[25]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Amazing Stories and news-making exposés: March TV and streaming". 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  2. ^ S, John; March 18th, eman; Comments, 2020 07:51 am. "'Learn. Protect your children from clergy.' The ABC's Revelation reveals a tragic story - Eternity News". Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  3. ^ Meade, Amanda (2020-04-08). "ABC to re-edit and restore George Pell episode of Revelation as News Corp goes on attack". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  4. ^ Knox, David. ""Beyond the pale...." | TV Tonight".
  5. ^ "REVELATION". www.revelationdocumentary.com.
  6. ^ McManus, Bridget (2020-03-28). "TV for Tuesday, March 29". Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  7. ^ McManus, Bridget (2020-03-14). "Critic's Choice for March 15". Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  8. ^ Delaney, Brigid (2020-03-16). "You'll need a strong stomach to digest Revelation's insights into child sexual abuse in the Catholic church". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  9. ^ "The Australian".
  10. ^ "Walkley Award winners 2020 - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au.
  11. ^ "Sarah Ferguson, Nial Fulton and Tony Jones".
  12. ^ Frater, Patrick (December 4, 2020). "'Crash Landing' and 'Garden of Evening Mists' Win Asian Academy Creative Awards Gold".
  13. ^ "Bluey wins again – this time Asian Academy Creative Award". Mediaweek. December 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "Ep 11 - Pell – The final verdict". April 20, 2020 – via www.abc.net.au.
  15. ^ "Pell supporter takes aim at police, ABC after Cardinal acquitted". ABC Radio. April 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Correction to Greg Craven's column in The Australian". About the ABC.
  17. ^ "Andrew Bolt and the ABC: did the reporting on George Pell step over a line? | Margaret Simons". the Guardian. April 14, 2020.
  18. ^ a b c Maitland-Newcastle, Catholic Diocese of. "Detailed communication in support of Bishop Bill Wright's open letter to the People of the Diocese". www.mn.catholic.org.au. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  19. ^ Kirkwood, Ian (October 24, 2020). "Bishop Wright disciplines Catholic Father Bill Burston but Nash family say it's 'not enough'". Newcastle Herald.
  20. ^ McCarthy, Joanne (March 24, 2020). "'Apology isn't enough' says family after priest's shock view of boy's death". Newcastle Herald.
  21. ^ Kelly, Matthew (October 20, 2020). "'Most of our friends are dead': Case Study 43 reveals a network of lies and cover-ups inside the church". Newcastle Herald.
  22. ^ "Catholic Diocese of Ballarat". www.ballarat.catholic.org.au. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  23. ^ "Statement by the St John of God Brothers Regarding the ABC Documentary Revelation. The Hospitaller Order of St John of God Oceania Province". Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  24. ^ "St John of God Letter" (PDF). abc.net.au. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  25. ^ "Revelation Statement Cardinal Pell" (PDF). abc.net.au. Retrieved 2020-07-20.

External links[]

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