A message from our Canon Chancellor
/Dear Friends
This week marks a sad moment in the current life of the Church of England. We may feel it only affects a few, and does not touch on the lives of many. This is not true. It concerns (in no particular order) neglect, sin, abuse, failure, lack of humility, undue care and attention, pain, damage, resentment, revenge, rehabilitation, confusion, doubt, mercy, empathy, sympathy, judgment, injustice, complacency, dishonesty, concealment… the list goes on.
The report, published by IICSA which is accessible online via our Cathedral website, makes the following extracted condemnatory observations and recommendations:
The culture of the Church of England facilitated it becoming a place where abusers could hide. Deference to the authority of the Church and to individual priests, taboos surrounding discussion of sexuality and an environment where alleged perpetrators were treated more supportively than victims presented barriers to disclosure that many victims could not overcome. Another aspect of the Church’s culture was clericalism, which meant that the moral authority of clergy was widely perceived as beyond reproach.
In respect of cathedrals, the Church has proposed a number of changes which should integrate safeguarding in cathedrals into the mainstream of the Church’s safeguarding structures, though there remains much to do to ensure better protection of children in cathedrals and their linked choir schools.
The Church has failed to respond consistently to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse with sympathy and compassion, accompanied by practical and appropriate support.
Excessive attention was often paid to the circumstances of the alleged perpetrator in comparison to the attention given to those who disclosed they had been sexually abused or to the issue of the risk that alleged perpetrators posed to others.
On some occasions public support was given to offending clergy. Perhaps the most stark example was that of the former bishop, Peter Ball.
Although there have been a number of important improvements in child protection practice within the Church, it has some way to go to rebuild the trust of victims. When the Church did try to uncover past failures, such as the Past Cases Review, which was completed in 2009, the exercise was flawed and incomplete… The exercise must be repeated to obtain a more accurate picture.
We are the body of Christ, and so, as such, we all bear the guilt and shame of this, to some extent – some more than others, for sure, but none of us is immune, untainted and none should or can turn our backs on this. For not only morally and spiritually it will rightly affect so much of that we say and do going forward.
It is in the context of the report that has recently been published, that everything you may have heard or seen or been asked to do in relation to safeguarding of young people and vulnerable adults in the cathedral falls into context. As St Paul reminds us, ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:32) and so every parish church, every cathedral, every diocese is now rightly rebuked and needs must put its house in order, a process which has been significantly engaged upon. Simultaneously we continue to weep for the damaged and the destroyed. And we continue to wrestle, under God, with the balance between mercy and judgment and healing and wholeness for victims, and indeed perpetrators. We have as a Church got things seriously wrong, and now our attempts to put things right are, inevitably tinged with human fallibility and weakness, but try we must and try we will. In this we ask for your support, encouragement, compliance and prayer. This applies locally, nationally and globally. It also applies in hearts and minds. For only then can we can we change culture and restore confidence.
Finally, brothers and sisters in Christ, we must be ever vigilant, not only for any sign of suffering or abuse, but also be open, welcoming and gentle with any who need to talk, unburden themselves or justifiably vent their anger. We are here for them, for you, and where words fail, we hope and trust our love and prayer will not.
Father, we commend to your faithful love those who are crying from the depths; help them to watch and pray through their time of darkness, in sure hope of the dawn of your forgiveness and redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In a token of repentance and commitment, the cathedral spire will be it purple (the colour of penitence) for the coming days.
With love and prayers,
Canon Gordon
(Chapter Lead on Safeguarding)
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA, can be found here:
https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/inquiry-report-finds-anglican-church-failed-protect-children-sexual-abuse
