Ever since Sinéad O'Connor's death at the age of 56, her life has been thrust back into the spotlight.
The Irish singer is known for her voice, but also her views on politics or history. The moment she tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II on "Saturday Night Live" in October 1992 defined her public image.
"We believe in the triumph of good over evil," she said on SNL. He then tore up the photo, threw the pieces at the camera and said, "Fight the real enemy," before walking off the stage.
After that, O'Connor was permanently banned from appearing on NBC and there were protests against her in the US. "I don't regret doing it. It was great," she said in an interview with the New York Times in 2021.
At first, her image was severely damaged, but later years vindicated her. The Catholic Church admitted and apologized for the sexual abuse committed against members of the clergy, often against children.
Nine years after she tore up his photo, Pope John Paul II sent an email apologizing to victims of sexual abuse by priests and other clergy in Australia and the surrounding region, acknowledging the scandal for the first time in his papacy .
In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said in an 18-page letter that he was "truly sorry" for the abuse by Catholic priests in O'Connor's native Ireland.
In 2019, Pope Francis admitted that priests have sexually assaulted nuns, while in October 2021, the Catholic Church in France stated that 330,000 children have been sexually abused by clergy and lay members of church institutions over the past 70 years.
People today appreciate Sinéad O'Conno, who had the courage to speak up when everyone else was silent.
Additional sources: CNN, RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg, The Washington Post
