It's hard to understand why the Church of England would continue to put known abusers in positions of trust and tolerate situations that should have been impossible (the C of the E should have “kneeled down and repented” after a difficult year). (The Archbishop of York said on December 25th.)
There are no knees in the church, but there are knees of believers, but in this case most of the believers were definitely unaware of the situation. That the Archbishop of York chose to use figurative language at such a critical moment provides a small clue to the problem. Why did Stephen Cottrell need an advisor to advise that known abusers should not hold any office in the church? What is the point of high positions in the church if we cannot act against the perpetrators?
The Church of England, where I was baptized as a helpless baby and confirmed as an ignorant teenager, has had much to admire over the centuries. Churches in Wales 'separated and dismantled' I wish the Church of England had made a similar decision in the late 20th century.
Perhaps that would have been better for the church. It would certainly be better for the current British constitution to separate Britain, its voters, and its people from an organization that is pathetically incapable of managing its affairs. I don't think any great class system can really “demonstrate the power of love.” However, such organizations can and should demonstrate the importance of timely and appropriate action.
Janet Dube
Peebles, Scottish Borders
To understand that the physical violation and abuse I suffered as a teenager at the hands of an Anglican priest, the rape by his friends, and the condoning of such behavior by this irresponsible priest was indeed rape. It took me a lifetime. And abuse.
In the 1960s, there was nothing to protect you. It is doubtful whether the bishops at the time could have imagined what was happening, but such ignorance and naivety did not prevent the rest of the town from arousing suspicion. My mother challenged this priest because of the rumors, but who else could she turn to? The attitude of many in the church was to turn a blind eye.
This priest's religious nonsense and the title “Father” protected him. His rant in the sermon that “we are all drains and came to Mass seeking God's disinfectant” went unchallenged and his unresolved guilt was projected onto the minds of young people. . Today that seems ridiculous. It was dangerous at the time.
The Bishop of Newcastle declared: “There were bishops of the 'C of E' generation who fit the mold of the old boys' club.'' My priest died unresisted, unrepentant, filled with pride in his religious gobbledygook, a shield from the shame that violates young, vulnerable lives and their minds and bodies.
Name and address provided
About 15 years ago, I attended a safety symposium. The focus is on sharing best practices when working with vulnerable children and adults, and how best to develop effective safeguarding policies and structures within your organization. Ta.
Several Anglican parish groups attended. During the day, members of these groups discussed how the church is “reaching out” to help other organizations. In plenary, I referred to these comments and noted that the C of E has previously allowed other organizations to “step in” to see how they are operating and provide appropriate feedback. posed doubts to the audience. The members of the church had no idea about this, but then one person contacted me and said I had given him something to think about.
The Church of England has resisted any meaningful inquiry into how the church operates, providing an example of how having policies and procedures is not enough, effective action is needed.
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