Pedophilia scandals became something common for Churches all over the globe. The Church of England is not an exception. On Wednesday, the Church’s spiritual leader said that it was a disgrace that the institution had for decades failed to protect children from sexual predators within its ranks and shown a lack of care for victims.
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby was talking with BBC on the subject as he said:
“It’s shameful and disgraceful and reveals exactly what they said – a culture in which there was a cover-up and hiding.’’
The Church allowed abusers to hide in order to protect its reputation, instead of helping young people according to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
“It didn’t come as a surprise. We have not gone quick enough or far enough yet.”
Welby also said that he had known abuse was happening because of the case of a former bishop of Gloucester who in 2015 pleaded guilty to indecent assault.
It was bishop Peter Ball who said to his victims that praying naked, masturbation, and flagellation, was a teaching of St Francis and would bring closeness to God. One of his victims committed suicide a year later.
“I was shocked by the level, when I came into this job, by the extent to which it was happening. We have been poor at dealing with redress and dealing with the victims and the survivors. The whole lack of care in this is shocking,’’ said Welby.
He added that the Church had now overhauled internal systems to deal faster and better with allegations and helping victims.
According to Reuters, the archbishop is the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion – a global network with 85 million believers. Queen Elizabeth is the supreme governor of the Church of England, a title dating back to Henry VIII’s split with the Pope.
“I know that since I came into this job, I have worked as hard as I could to move the Church to a different place,” said Welby.
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