George Carey asks ‘why the silence’ from the House of Bishops on George Bell

Oct 7, 2018 by

Text of speech by George Carey, published on Anglican Ink.

I have been accused many times over the past few years of presiding over a ‘cover-up’ of Bishop Peter Ball’s crimes. Peter Ball misused his office as a bishop to abuse and indecently assault young people who were exploring vocations into Christian ministry. There was, of course, no cover-up. We now know that the police at the time examined many allegations against Ball and together with prosecutors only gave him a caution. This decision was very much of its time. But later, even after I had left office, other people, including police, had an opportunity to look at all the evidence that was in our hands at Lambeth Palace to bring Peter Ball to justice, yet they did not do so until Chichester Diocese passed on its files and Peter Ball was finally brought to justice in 2015. I and my colleagues at the time did make mistakes, and rightly my actions are being subjected to public scrutiny – a review by Dame Moira Gibb and the IICSA Inquiry. I have cooperated willingly, openly and honestly with this scrutiny at every stage. I will take every opportunity I can to publicly apologise to the victims of Peter Ball for the mistakes I made in the 1990s which have caused them such pain to this day…

…Over the last 12 months or so I have had a recurring disturbing worry. It is the ‘nightmare’ that in spite of a very happy and faithful marriage to the same woman for nearly 60 years, some 50 or so years from the point of my death, rumours will circulate that I was an abuser of others. The rumours will reach such a pitch that the Church to which I had given my life will capitulate, pay out money and believe the falsehoods. Who would defend me?

This could happen to anyone of us – male or female. It became a reality for one of the great giants of Anglicans, namely George Bell, who died 70 years ago and whom we honour today.

Read here

See also: Justice for Bishop George Bell, by Gavin Ashenden

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