It is often said that the
month of August is the silly season for news and readers of Saturday’s Jersey
Evening Post will doubtless be scratching their heads at the sight of an
expensive full page advert inviting witnesses to give evidence about the conduct
of the Bishop of Winchester.
The advert makes reference to
an advertisement placed in the same newspaper the previous Saturday by the
Bishop of Winchester inviting members of the public to offer evidence in relation
to the investigation being conducted by Dame Heather Steel. The advert also
published Dame Heather’s Terms of Reference (TOR).
This Saturday’s advert cites
a number of the Bishop’s failings in relation to one safeguarding issue which
is deemed to be disproportionate, caused widespread anxiety and hurt, and has
wrongly undermined public confidence in the Church in Jersey.
Included in the failings, “is
the launching of two simultaneous and uncoordinated inquiries aimed less at
caring for the vulnerable and more at assaulting the constitutional relationship
between Jersey and the Diocese of Winchester, which may have caused a loss of
confidence in the Diocese. Some may have experienced the relentless assault on
the Church in Jersey through a PR company as placing power before pastoral
care.”
“Others may be alarmed at the
alleged expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds on lawyers, public
relations consultants and two extensive inquiries. The terms of reference of
the Steel inquiry invite evidence from the public of inappropriate or unbecoming
conduct by the clergy in relation to events of the recent past. The Bishop of
Winchester is a member of the clergy. If anyone has experienced the conduct of
the Bishop of Winchester as inappropriate, or unbecoming, they should write to
Dame Heather Steel at heather.steel@churchofengland.org
and copy it to noconfidenceinwinton@gmail.com
“
The advert appears to have
been paid for by a group of concerned members of the laity of the Anglican
Church in Jersey “who retain the highest confidence in the safeguarding record
and practice of the Anglican Church in Jersey. Safeguarding provides for the
care of the vulnerable, but also provides protection for those who offer that
care. Courageous support is often provided by the Church for people who are
deeply disturbed in the most challenging circumstances.”
Given such a powerful
statement one wonders why those members of the laity did not have the courage
to state who they are, who at no confidence in Winton will receive the evidence
and what is its purpose? Also why should the evidence be forwarded to Dame
Heather is she part of the laity, why no explanation? On reading her TOR it
seems to be stretching things to claim that the Bishop’s alleged failings come
within its remit.
I have questioned the
Bishop’s handling of the matter ever since he suspended Jersey’s Dean Bob Key.
If ever there was case of failing to plan there can be few which would surpass the
Bishop’s. The advert placed by those claiming to be concerned members of the
laity are no better and is akin to the pot calling the kettle black. Goodness
knows what the ordinary members of the congregation up and down the country are
thinking about their supposed leaders.
Those who have been following
my Blogs will know that I believe the Dean and others have a case to answer,
but they are entitled to expect the investigation to be conducted in an
efficient and timely manner. This has not been the case and those questioning
the conduct of the investigation are entitled to do so because there is ample
evidence.
However what is distressing
about the advert is that the concerned laity have made no mention of the real
victim, that being HG, the lady whose suffered so badly at the hands of those
who profess to care for the vulnerable and for giving courageous support.
Do they wish to continue turn
a blind eye to those responsible for the abuse, do they wish to turn a blind
eye to those responsible for HG’s arrest, detention and deportation. Do they
wish to turn a blind eye to those who left her destitute in England whereby she
lost her Jersey home, job and friends? Do they not care about her wellbeing and
that her complaints are properly addressed?
Instead of petty squabbling
among themselves, they should be united in pressing for an efficient and timely
investigation and ensuring that HG receives tangible support and personal
apologies. There may have been only been one safeguarding issue, but the way it
has been mishandled and the fallout that followed is not down to HG but the
incompetence of those tasked with the care of the vulnerable. They failed five
years ago and are failing once more.
It looks to me that the
advert is more about the concerned members of the Jersey Laity protecting their
cosy and closed group so as to continue doing things the “Jersey Way.”
Unfortunately the Bishop is playing into their hands.
