大象传媒

Good Morning

The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday acknowledged that the Makin Report into the prolific child abuser John Smyth had 鈥榚xposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses which went unpunished before Smyth鈥檚 death in 2018.鈥�

Given what has emerged in recent days there was simply no alterative but for Justin Welby to go. He has now taken personal and institutional responsibility for the long and traumatising period between 2013-2024 when it is obvious more should have been done to seek appropriate justice.

So, the main focus of my thoughts this morning is very clearly on the victims of the horrific brutality which they endured. Not only at the time of the abuse. But ever since. Andrew Graystone, a campaigner for the survivors says they tell him that the way they have been treated by the church is nearly as bad as the way they were treated by their abuser. Lessons must be learned beyond the resignation of one church leader.

We all have a clear responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in all areas of life. But human nature being what it is, in a lot of institutions, it takes immense courage to speak out, to act and do what is right, even if it means upsetting the applecart so that justice is done,

At parish level in the Church of England, there has been huge strides forward in recent years in creating safe spaces for everyone. This reflects Jesus鈥� call in the Gospels for the protection of the vulnerable when he says unequivocally: 鈥淚f anyone causes one of these little ones to stumble it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned in the depts of the sea鈥� .

But today it is about hearing the voices of those affected by the failings of the national church and others, to act at the right time. And as a member of the Church of England I believe we do now need a time of reflection, repentance and soul searching,

Andy Morse, a victim of Smyth鈥檚 abuse, said this week that there isn鈥檛 a day or two goes by without me thinking of it. And Mark Stibbs, a former priest and now an author, said that after lots of support over the years from various quarters 鈥渨e are still suffering broken hearts and broken marriages and broken lives as a result of it. So, it never really goes away鈥�

Now that the conspiracy of silence, has been broken with the publication of the Makin Report 鈥� today is not about a resignation at all really 鈥� but about a pledge to act and to do everything we can to listen and to hear. We can never be said in any organisation to have been too busy, too loyal, too trusting to listen. We need to always respond appropriately to all children and vulnerable people.

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