Scandal in the Catholic Church

The United States -

In 1984, the Rev. Gilbert Gauthe, who served churches in the Diocese of Lafayette, La., became the test case of a serial pedophile behind a Roman collar. Ray Mouton was hired as his defense attorney.

Father Gauthe's career as a pedophile spanned that of his calling. He was indicted in August 1984, at about age 40, on 34 counts of sexual misconduct against 11 children. That November, he admitted to having sexual contact with boys in every church he served after his 1971 ordination.

I didn't know there was anybody like Gilbert Gauthe, his former attorney said. I didn't know there were others.

Mr. Mouton's idealism quickly vanished after the Lafayette diocese hired him to represent Father Gauthe, and he learned his client was only one of several local priests who had abused boys, only one of scores of such priests across the country.

Read the article at The Cincinnati Enquirer dated April 29, 2002

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