Pelosi attacks San Francisco archbishop for calling abortion a ‘child sacrifice’

Reference: Independent: Gino Spocchia 

A 'moral failing': Report finds child sexual abuse prevalent in institutions across major UK religions

Child sexual abuse is prevalent in faith institutions across most major religions in the UK, with a report accusing these organisations of "blatant hypocrisy" and "moral failings".

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found "shocking" failings across a number of organisations, and cases of abuse perpetrated by religious followers.

Between early 2015 and January 2020, of all known institutions where abuse had taken place, 11% (443 instances) were committed within a religious organisation or setting.

Ten percent of suspects (726 people) were employed by - or somehow linked to - a religious organisation or setting.

However, there is likely to be "significant" under-reporting, the IICSA said, adding: "There is no way of knowing the true scale of such abuse."

In one instance, four children were sexually abused when they were approximately nine years old whilst being taught the Quran by a teacher in a mosque. In 2017, the perpetrator was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in jail.

Another 10-year-old girl was abused by a church volunteer, but when her mother disclosed this to the police, the church minister said the abuser was "valued" and must be considered "innocent until proven guilty". It was later discovered the abuser had been dismissed from a police force following charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

One young boy was abused by a Sunday school activity leader during religious camps shortly after his mother died. The seven-year-old was told not to tell anyone because "no one in the church would believe him".

© PA Abuse was found across all major UK religions 

Professor Alexis Jay, chair of the inquiry, said: "Religious organisations are defined by their moral purpose of teaching right from wrong and protection of the innocent and the vulnerable.

"However, when we heard about shocking failures to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse across almost all major religions, it became clear many are operating in direct conflict with this mission.

"Blaming the victims, fears of reputational damage and discouraging external reporting are some of the barriers victims and survivors face, as well as clear indicators of religious organisations prioritising their own reputations above all else. For many, these barriers have been too difficult to overcome."

Barriers to reporting abuse included victim-blaming, an absence of discussions about sex and sexuality, the discouragement of external reporting, and prioritising the organisation's reputation above the needs of victims.

The report recommended all religious organisations have a child protection policy and support procedures. It said the government should legislate to amend the definition of full-time education to bring any setting that is the pupil's primary place of education within the scope of a registered school.

This would provide Ofsted with sufficient powers to examine the quality of child protection when undertaking an inspection of suspected unregistered schools.

© Reuters The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found "shocking" failings

Currently, an estimated quarter of a million children in England and Wales receive "supplementary schooling" from a faith organisation.

There is also no central list or register of faith-based organisations in England and Wales, despite the Charity Commission estimating that there are over 34,000 organisations.

Richard Scorer, specialist abuse lawyer at Slater & Gordon who acts for seven victim and survivor groups in the inquiry, including those representing Jewish, South Asian and Jehovahs Witnesses' survivors, said: "Today's report confirms that some religious groups have catastrophically failed to protect children in their care and that many have patchy or non-existent safeguarding policies and support for victims and survivors of abuse.

"This is simply unacceptable.

"It is clear from the report that too many religious organisations continue to prioritise the protection, reputation and authority of religious leaders above the rights of children."

It comes as abuse victims told Sky News there was a culture within the Jehovah's Witnesses that fails those looking for help and puts others at risk.

The IICSA examined evidence from 38 religious organisations with a presence in England and Wales - including Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Christianity, and new religious movements, such as Scientology, among others.

It sought evidence from individuals that represented the majority of those with religious affiliations within England and Wales, of which 59% of the population identifies as Christian, 25% of no religion, 5% Muslim, 4% other - including Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Buddhism - and 7% not stated.

The report was based on 16 days of public hearings held during March, May and August last year.

The final report with findings from all 19 sections of the investigation, launched in 2014, will be laid before Parliament next summer. 

Reference: Sky News: Megan Baynes, news reporter  

Catholic priest murdered in western France by suspected cathedral arsonist

A man suspected of causing a major fire that ravaged the cathedral in the French city of Nantes last year has murdered a Catholic priest in western France, the interior minister said.

"All my support for the Catholics of our country after the dramatic murder of a priest in the Vendee region," Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister, wrote on Twitter, saying he was heading to the scene.

A source close to the investigation, who asked not to be named, said a man had gone to the police in the town of Mortagne-sur-Sevre and declared that he had killed a priest. 

The man was already under judicial control over the fire at Nantes cathedral in July 2020, the source said.

They added that the priest, aged 60, had been welcoming the man into his church for several months.

The man, named as Emmanuel A, has confessed to being responsible for the fire at the Gothic Nantes cathedral that horrified France in July, 2020. He was initially placed under arrest before being freed under judicial control.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who accuses the government of being weak on immigration, sought to seize on the incident, saying that in France "you can be an illegal migrant, set fire to a cathedral, not be expelled and then reoffend by murdering a priest".

Mr Darmanin immediately accused her of "making a polemic without knowing the facts", adding that the man could not be expelled from France so long as he was under judicial control.

The Nantes blaze came 15 months after the devastating 2019 fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, which raised questions about the security risks for other historic churches across France.

While firefighters were able to contain the Nantes blaze after just two hours and save the main structure, its famed organ, which dated from 1621 and had survived the French revolution and World War II, was destroyed.

Also lost were priceless artefacts and paintings, including a work by the 19th-century artist Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin and stained glass windows that contained remnants of 16th-century glass. Repairs are due to take several years.

The man, an asylum-seeker from Rwanda who has lived in France for several years, had worked as a volunteer at the church.

Reference: The Telegraph: Agence France-Presse

Edinburgh cathedral boss killed in 'freak' mountain biking accident

Andy Hilton, who managed St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral complex in York Place, Edinburgh for the last three years, reportedly suffered fatal head injuries as a result of a collision while he was mountain biking on Wednesday, August 4.

In a St Mary’s newsletter issued at the weekend, it was stated: “With deep sadness I have to communicate to you our Cathedral Complex Manager, Andy Hilton, died suddenly on Wednesday having been involved in a freak mountain biking accident.

"We do not know many details except that he was involved in a head on collision, suffered massive injuries to his head and died instantly. Andy had been working here at the Cathedral for almost three years and had become ‘one of the family’.

“He was not a Catholic – but he seemed to enjoy working here with us and he achieved an enormous amount for the Cathedral in his time here. I know that you will keep them very much in your prayers.

"I respected him and enjoyed working with him. We will all miss him. May he rest in peace.”

Mr Hilton, who is survived by a daughter, was said to be a “deeply good and decent man” who was “scrupulously honest and genuinely kind.”

Back in February Mr Hilton was busy dealing with a major mechanical breakdown in the cathedral involving the motors of the winching system to lower the chandeliers.

He appealed for people to support the expensive repair with donations and had been looking into alternative mechanical systems.