Revelation

I think the most outstanding aspect of the whole gruelling journey on which Revelation took us was the integrity and courage with which the subject matter was handled. It was such a far cry from the sensational, cynical and invasive way the commercial channels handle tragic and sensitive subjects (eg; the disappearances of Madeleine McCann or William Tyrell). I have already been a big fan of Sarah Ferguson. I am in awe of her ability to never succumb to the attempted "charm factor" of politicians who use every trick in the psychology book to woo and bamboozle their interviewer. They need not waste their time with Sarah, as certainly as the paedophile priests and brothers in Revelation need not have wasted their time with any schmaltzy, crocodile-teared attempts to break Sarah's resolve to extract the truth from them. The heroes of Revelation, of course, are the victims whose broken lives are laid before us in all their shattered desolation. Some have managed to salvage enough of themselves to be able to present a veneer of normalcy, but most who have somehow kept living, admit that every minute of every day is an ordeal to be endured. We owe it to them to witness their dismantled lives and to become an active part of the movements for justice for these heroic survivors.

Revelation examines the historical sexual abuse of vulnerable children by priests in regional Australia from the 1950s to the 1980s, and the institutional power, impunity and cover up of that abuse by the Roman Catholic Church.

This is groundbreaking and finely crafted documentary making by the wonderful Sarah Ferguson and Nial Fulton, with support from a great crew and excellent researchers. The focus is local and deeply personal, but the topic and themes are universal.

In an interview for ABC News, Sarah Ferguson said: "Throughout the long-running scandal of clerical abuse in Australia, there was one voice we hadn't heard and that was the perpetrators. I wanted to ask them how they led their double lives and how the church enabled them, but how do you interview men whose crimes are so vile and disturbing, who've committed crimes against vulnerable children? It was a struggle not to let my revulsion at their crimes drag me off course."

Revelation was broadcast by ABC TV (the national broadcaster) at 8:30pm to moderate audiences over three weeks in Australia.

Incredible series bringing viewers face to face with the sins and cover ups of the Catholic Church. Heart wrenching, difficult to watch but a must see. Thank you to the producers and Sarah Ferguson for the compassion you showed to the brave survivors who shared their stories throughout the series.

There is not much to add to the summary... it is a raw record. this lady deserves another 20 awards in my opinion. i have never ever been so satisfied with how the interviews were conducted. as for the 'subjects'..well there is not much to say. it just gives you a really really good insight.

seriously, this is a must watch. it's hard because it gets to you - but Ferguson with her demeanor and neutral, factual confrontation pulled me through it. (she should have interviewed scully imo)

A must see, absolutely fantastic journalism from a wonderful team. This series will be etched in your mind forever.