Canon Andrew Hindley

Caleo, like you, I sigh a little when I see folk quoting chunks of the OT. Jesus said very clearly that he was creating a new covenant.
However, what I did want to add to the debate is my understanding of how plausible some abusers can be.
The relative to whom I referred earlier in the thread, involved in the prosecution of a serial- offender ex clergyman said that he was utterly charming. He was found guilty of abusing boys and sentenced to ( another) term of imprisonment.

Anniebach I like you but sometimes I don’t understand your desperation to remove all possibility of blame from anything connected to the church or the royal family
The church is the perfect place to have the adoration, the ‘being looked up to’ and the blanket of righteousness to cover up not only sexual abuse but abuse of power too
I don’t think anyone is suggesting at 18 a boy wakes up one day and says I m going to be a priest because I ll be able to sexualise children but he will unconsciously be attracted to any walk of life that would give him opportunities it may almost be an inbuilt path without great thought, just like a child who loves Lego or meccano could be transported into the construction industry or a little girl who is a looker afterer may end up a doctor or nurse They are pathways
Yes abuse goes on in some church settings regardless of which type of religion I believe it goes on in some schools, youth clubs, pop venues and it goes on in many homes

Woman can and do abuse but in very small numbers it’s quite rare
Yes abusers are very plausible chocolatelover I know a man who was a great ‘player away from home’ very handy with his fists towards women and quite dishonest but ‘found’ the church became a preacher and was absolutely adored by all the older ladies in the church they knew nothing of his background but they hung on his every word and thought he was the bees knees He could have told them to rob a bank and they probably would have

BlueBelle 👍🏻

BlueBell I do not try to remove blame from anything to do
with the Church. I do not believe abuse is rife in the Church as
this thread is claiming. I do not believe teenagers enter the ministry because they have a desire to abuse, you may do.

I am posting my opinion as others are posting theirs

I attempt to be open minded, knowing that Priests are just mere mortals - like all of us. I know there are abusers in the Priesthood, as I can read. I believe this Pope is diligently attempting to enforce zero tolerance.

In the Churches there are liars , thieves, adulterers, abusers, law breakers, far outnumbered by what is good in man

I agree the good people in the church outnumber the bad
There is also ample evidence that men who are sexually attracted to children often seek employment or volunteering in work that gives them access to children
The extent of child sexual abuse is horrific.

I am sure men who are sexually attracted to children often seek
employment or volunteering in work which gives them access to children, I do not believe teenagers choose a career which
involves much study because they are sexually attracted to
children.

Anniebach

I am sure men who are sexually attracted to children often seek
employment or volunteering in work which gives them access to children, I do not believe teenagers choose a career which
involves much study because they are sexually attracted to
children.

I think BlueBelle explained that rather well in her earlier post. They may not be choosing that path for that explicit reason, but subconsciously they are drawn to a career which would allow them access to children.

I was replying to the post from Iam, apologies for not saying when I posted

Subconsciously? who can prove yes or no?

Anniebach

I was replying to the post from Iam, apologies for not saying when I posted

Subconsciously? who can prove yes or no?

Well, I'm sure there are psychiatrists and other specialists who could cite numerous studies to that effect. I've sat through sexual abuse court cases where that has certainly been brought up in evidence - not necessarily church-related.

Proof of the workings of the subconscious mind in a court of law ? It was evidence of a crime !

Anniebach

Proof of the workings of the subconscious mind in a court of law ? It was evidence of a crime !

Psychiatrists are frequently called upon to give evidence in court, in many different kinds of cases. You also have forensic psychologists who can be called upon to give evidence too.

Evidence or expert opinion ?

Expert opinion can play its part in the evidence in a court case - either for the prosecution or the defence.

Executive Summary
This investigation report examines the extent of institutional failings by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales to protect children from sexual abuse and examines the Church’s current safeguarding regime. It draws on evidence from the Inquiry’s three case studies on Ampleforth and Downside Abbeys and their respective schools, Ealing Abbey and St Benedict’s School, and the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Between 1970 and 2015, the Roman Catholic Church received more than 900 complaints involving over 3,000 instances of child sexual abuse against more than 900 individuals connected to the Church, including priests, monks and volunteers. In the same period, there were 177 prosecutions resulting in 133 convictions. Civil claims against dioceses and religious institutes have resulted in millions of pounds being paid in compensation.

It would be wrong, however, to regard child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church as solely a historical problem. Since 2016, there have been more than 100 reported allegations each year. Across the entire period of nearly 50 years covered by this Inquiry, the true scale of sexual abuse of children is likely to have been much higher.

As we have said previously, faith organisations are marked out from most other institutions by their explicit moral purpose. The Roman Catholic Church is no different. In the context of the sexual abuse of children, that moral purpose was betrayed over decades by those in the Church who perpetrated this abuse and those who turned a blind eye to it. The Church’s neglect of the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of children and young people in favour of protecting its reputation was in conflict with its mission of love and care for the innocent and vulnerable

Was this the Roman Catholic Church in England only ?

Yes, from what I can remember seeing.
I'll try to find the link, if it helps.

catholicherald.co.uk/four-year-study-released-showing-impact-of-abuse-crisis-on-catholic-community-in-england-and-wales/

maddyone

Gosh. I know nothing about this, apart from what I’ve just read on GN two minutes ago.
Is it true that the Archbishop of Canterbury knew and did nothing?
Who is Canon Andrew Hindley anyway? Obviously he’s in the church. Is/was he important? Oh my goodness, how terrible. Beyond shocked.

Same here, but having now read about it, well, words fail me.
I thought the C of E had learned lessons from the past but obvs not.🤬

Thank you MissAdventure

Thanks MissAdventure.
From what I’ve read, I don’t conclude thr ArchBish of Canterbury ‘did nothing’.
It’s one if those awful situations where endless complaints were made over many years eg 15 year old boy on work experience -adult woman who alleged he touched her inappropriately. It’s obvious to us that Something Should have been Done. Yes it should.
They CofE safeguarding policies were inadequate. The police.cps consistently agreed there’s a problem but it doesn’t lead to,prosecution for various reasons.
Prosecutions for sexual offences are rare, successful prosecutions vanishingly rare

Can a person accused but not tried be sacked ?

Not really, I should think.
Innocent until proven guilty must still hold true.

Perhaps that's why people are moved on to different areas, though?