Catholic newspaper reports that church knew of abuses for years

An investigative piece in the National Catholic Reporter suggests that Catholic Church officials were warned about pedophile priests as early as the 1950s.

The lengthy article tells the story of Father Gerald Fitzgerald, the head of the Servants of the Paracletes, a religious order that was dedicated to rehabilitating priest offenders. Fitzgerald, for many years, sought to purchase an island to provide the rehabilitation while protecting society from the priests.

Links to original letters and a breakdown of financial damage to the church are included.