Campus Ministry took a step toward transparency in The Catholic Church by hosting a showing of “Spotlight” to students and faculty. The event took place Oct. 20, the day of the campus commemoration of victims of sexual violence.

Winner of the 2015 Academy Award for Best Picture, “Spotlight” depicts the Boston Globe’s 2001 investigation and exposure of serial sexual assault and subsequent coverups by members of the Catholic Church in Boston. The film won a bevy of awards and is held up as one of the best depictions of investigative journalism in recent years.

“I know the story very well,” Rev. Peter Walsh said. “I’m very sympathetic to what ‘Spotlight’ did.”

Walsh was in graduate school 20 miles from Boston when the story broke in 2002, which deeply affected the entire region. Boston’s population, which is largely comprised of Irish-Catholic descendents, lead to a deeply embedded Catholic tradition in the area. The demographics of the area made the shock of the “Spotlight” team’s revelations that much more painful for the region and the world.

“She’s wanted to do this since it came out,” said Walsh, talking about student peer minister Kate Lamoreaux, native of Kensington, MD. Lamoreaux spoke before the film and prepared discussion questions for participating students for after the film.

“It’s powerful,” said Lamoreaux. “It stays with you—one of those things people should see. I’m showing this because I think it’s important for people at a Catholic school to be aware of this scandal. Sexual assault is all too common. If we don’t talk about it, if we remain silent about it then we allow it to thrive.”

The story, breaking little less than 15 years ago, was one of the most visible examples of allegations of sexual assault of minors perpetrated by members of the Catholic clergy since stories to that effect began appearing in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

It led to revelations that not only was the Church aware of the sexual assaults, it was complicit in hiding them, working closely with city and state officials to sweep it under the rug, settle out of court and quietly relocate the priests or diocesan officials somewhere else.

Some of the aims of the film showing were to talk about the Church’s response, including the nationwide programs, background checks, and increased transparency in related cases, Walsh said. It also includes a zero tolerance policy for abusers, regardless of when it happened.

“A lot of the opportunities for preying on children no longer exist,” Walsh said.