ALMOST 4,000 people have signalled their intention to formally leave the Catholic religion on a website set up by a Dundalk man.
Disillusioned Catholics have been flocking to Countmeout.ie since the website was created by Cormac Flynn, a 29-year-old web designer from Faughart.
In the four days following the publication of the damning Dublin Diocese Report on child sexual ab
use by Catholic priests, 4,700 people visited the website.
"Almost 4,000 people have downloaded forms which will enable them to defect from the church. We've also received a lot of emails including one from a victim of abuse," said Mr Flynn.
"It is heartening that people are going out and looking for information. It's important to take a stand even if it's in a limited way.
"It's also important to have a mechanism where people can have their voice heard. People are very angry by what has happened."
Mr Flynn set up Countmeout.ie earlier this summer in the wake of revelations about child abuse in religious institutions in the Ryan Report.
Countmeout.ie provides information on how to formally defect from the Catholic religion and also enables people to air their opinions.
Visitors to the website can give their reaction to the Ryan Report, the Dublin Diocese Report and discuss the relationship between church and State.
Mr Flynn set up Countmeout.ie with two friends and the group is currently working on a re-design of the website which will be launched when 5,000 people have downloaded defection forms.
