The damning report released earlier today on the Church of England’s failure to prevent and address child sexual abuse was a devastating blow to a church that already is faltering badly. Its findings also are applicable for the Episcopal Church, including the Diocese of Virginia’ utter moral bankruptcy as it works to protect perjuring priest Bob Malm.
Among the report’s findings:
- “Another aspect of the church’s culture was clericalism, which meant that the moral authority of clergy was widely perceived as beyond reproach.”
- The church often protected its reputation at the expense of victims.
- “Over many decades, the Church of England failed to protect children and young people from sexual abusers, instead facilitating a culture where perpetrators could hide and victims faced barriers to disclosure that many could not overcome.”
- ‘If real and lasting changes are to be made, it is vital that the Church improves the way it responds to allegations from victims and survivors, and provides proper support for those victims over time.’
- ‘Our main focus in response must be recognising the distress caused to victims and survivors by the Church’s failures in safeguarding.’
- Alleged perpetrators were given more support than victims, who often faced barriers to reporting they simply couldn’t overcome.’
And so it is with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and its blind support of perjuring priest Bob Malm. While the latter has not been accused of sexual abuse, his repeated perjury should disqualify him from further serving as clergy. Yet Susan Goff and the Diocese remain adamantly opposed to even the simple task of merely asking perjuring priest Bob Malm to document his claims.
