Updated Wednesday evening, Thursday morning
The report of the Independent Inquiry, commissioned by the Archbishop of York and chaired by Judge Sally Cahill, into the Church of England’s handling of reports of alleged sexual abuse by the late Robert Waddington, formerly Dean of Manchester, was published today.
Press Association report in The Guardian Archbishop of York ‘deeply ashamed’ by church’s handling of abuse allegations
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Abusive priest ‘avoided prosecution because of failure to act on allegations’
Caroline Wyatt BBC Archbishop of York ‘wholehearted’ apology to abuse victims
Statement from the Archbishop of York
Statement from the Bishop of Manchester
Statement from Lord Hope of Thornes
At the request of some of those interviewed by the inquiry the report will not be made available in an electronic format but in hard copy only. Copies are available from Church House Bookshop.
Updates
Caroline Davies The Guardian Archbishop of York ashamed over Church of England’s abuse case failures
Madeleine Davies Church Times York Inquiry finds ‘systematic failure’ over abuse
Very interesting that Lord Hope says the accusations he received back then were non specific and no victim was identified and that even now he still did not know specifics. On a recent thread there was an exchange about acting on anonymous accusations. He also warns against applying today’s understanding to events and judgments in past decades. I think there is some merit in that assessment. When I was a new curate the discovery of incest, and child abuse as you filled in baptism registers was an almost monthly event. It never occurred to us to tell anyone. That may… Read more »
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland brought out a report on issues of sexual abuse in the Church etc in 2002 and gave recommendations including the need for each church to have a specific person to deal with the matters. All member churches of CTBI accepted to report and took appropriate action except the RC in Scotland and the Church of England. Both churches are doing this retrospectively now and over that we rejoice while still being sad they did not act before
Hers is a link to an article in the National Catholic Reporter reporting on the view of the + of York.
“Anglican priests should no longer be bound by the centuries-old principle of confidentiality in confessions when they are told of sexual crimes committed against children, the Church of England’s No. 2 official said.”
http://ncronline.org/news/global/top-anglican-calls-lifting-seal-confessional-child-abuse-cases