Ad Clerum - to all licensed clergy, lay ministers, churchwardens and diocesan staff
14th November 2024
Dear Colleagues
In these turbulent times for the Church of England, we are very conscious that you may well face some tough questions this coming weekend and in the days ahead. You will yourself have deep concerns about the safeguarding failures of the Church as described in the Makin Review published last week. The abuse perpetrated by John Smyth was compounded by the failure of the Church to listen to his victims and to bring him to justice.
The details of horrendous abuse set out in the report and made known widely in the media may, for some in your parishes, prompt traumatic memories or even a disclosure of abuse. Details of how to get help are available in the article on the front page of the Diocesan website (www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/resignation-of-the-archbishop-of-canterbury.php). Indeed, these events may have stirred unwelcome recollections in you and, if this is so, we hope you too will be able to access the help you need.
Safeguarding in our churches is significantly better than it was, and we commend all the good work that has gone on in parishes across this Diocese to make our churches safer places. Where you are supported in this work by a Parish Safeguarding Officer, we would like to affirm their work too. However, we must be honest and admit that there is much more to be done to develop a healthy culture where responsibility for safeguarding is functional at every level of the church’s life. We need resolve to address the dreadful failures set out in the Makin Review.
As your bishops, we will be praying for you and ask for your prayers for us. Our prayers have four distinct themes:
First, foremost and above all, we pray for those who are victims of the abuse perpetrated in the church and especially, at this time, for the victims of John Smyth. We acknowledge that the allegations against him were covered up or mishandled by individuals and by the institution. This has prolonged the trauma for survivors to the present day. The victims of abuse must lie at the heart our prayers.
Secondly, we pray for Archbishop Justin and his wife, Caroline. We know that these events have placed them and their family under immense pressure. We pray for Archbishop Justin’s wellbeing and give thanks for all that has been good in his time at Canterbury.
Thirdly, we pray for the Church of England, for our mission and reformation. We pray for humility and a willingness to repent, learn and change.
Finally, we dare to pray for ourselves and for one another. The Makin Review, the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the media coverage that has followed has been deeply unsettling for us all. We experience a sense of shame, anger and helplessness, and these are hard things to feel and will be shared by many in your churches.
In prayer, we bring all this to God in penitence, lament and hope. We pray to a God who is faithful and just. We pray to a God who alone, in Christ Jesus, can heal, transform and redeem our broken humanity.
Please pray for us and be assured of our prayers for you. If we can do anything to support you in these testing times, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
+Matthew
+Paul
+Sarah
+Tim
+Michael (currently on sabbatical)