[Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Mervyn Maciel]

Dear Ivan,

Thanks for your post.
I have not read the full report but merely followed what was
announced in the news/national press. Here is a link you
may  find useful:


Religious groups in UK failing children over sexual abuse ...
https://www.bbc.co.uk › news › uk-58420270

2 Sept 2021 — There are "shocking failings" and "blatant hypocrisy" in the
way major UK religious groups handle child sex abuse allegations, ...
I have been fairly active in my parish and various religious
groups I belonged to in the past - but now at 92, and following a recent
heart attack, I have been advised to slow down. Hard though this is,
I have to listen to medical advice and am trying to adjust my
'new life' accordingly.
 It is a shame that so much of what was going on in religious
institutions(Catholic included)  was swept under the carpet for so long-
but eventually, the truth has to surface.


Mervyn Maciel

[Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Mervyn Maciel]

Sorry  Ivan - in the rush of replying to your post, I omitted to
comment on the question you raise about my e-mail address.
Many years ago, my late wife and I rented a plot from our local council
where we grew our own vegetables/fruits etc.  Seeing we were working on
the land, I felt that *'watuwashamba' (*people of the land or farm people
in Swahili) would be an appropriate address for our e-mail and this has
amused quite a few from East Africa!


Mervyn Maciel

Re: [Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Ivan Pereira]

Thank u, Roland. 
I’ll check it tonight. 
Saturday afternoon in Montreal: have chores to do ! 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 18, 2021, at 12:31, Roland Francis  wrote:
> 
> Here is the link Ivan.
> https://www.iicsa.org.uk/helping-protect-children-sexual-abuse-now-and-future
> 
> Roland.
> Toronto.
> 
> 
>> On Sep 18, 2021, at 11:49 AM, Ivan Pereira  wrote:
>> 
>> Mervyn, 
>> I have been a member of the World Conference of Religions & Peace (WCRP) 
>> since inception in Canada, & served on its Executive Board. 
>> 
>> This issue specifically is not on the agenda or the purpose of WCRP. 
>> However, many interfaith activities are coordinated re. various issues. 
>> 
>> Do ask the London UK chapter to do what it can. I used to keep in touch with 
>> the London chapter, which is widely connected to various religious community 
>> organizations in the UK. 
>> 
>> You mention a report, but I do not see a link to the report. Could u send it 
>> to me? 
>> 
>> In some faith communities, there may be more of a hierarchical relationship 
>> in families & in the faith community itself, & therefore less of a a chance 
>> of publicizing this & pursuing solutions, or of widening the circle of 
>> interfaith understanding. 
>> 
>> Do consider joining WCRP as a member & participate in their activities. 
>> 
>> For years in Canada, there have been investigations of Catholic clergy 
>> historical abuse of young boys in educational institutions.
>> 
>> The Catholic Church in Canada claims it is pursuing education of clergy & 
>> correcting wrongs, etc., on this sensitive subject, & information is less 
>> forthcoming.
>> 
>> There have been some court cases in Nova Scotia, etc.. 
>> 
>> Mervyn, re. your e-address, is it located in a ‘shamba’? Very dense? 
>> People meet there for privacy? 
>> - Ivan D. 
>> 
 On Sep 18, 2021, at 05:03, Mervyn Maciel 
  wrote:
>>> 
>>> The report is a timely warning for ALL religious groups.
>>> For too long now they have been hiding under the cloak
>>> of secrecy  wanting to preserve their good name while
>>> allowing innocent victims to suffer further indignity.
>>> While I know the Catholic authorities in Britain have introduced
>>> stringent measures to safeguard individuals against Child Sex abuse,
>>> a lot still needs to be done throughout ALL religious organisations.
>>> They need reminding that they are certainly not above the law.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Mervyn Maciel

Re: [Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Roland Francis]

Here is the link Ivan.
https://www.iicsa.org.uk/helping-protect-children-sexual-abuse-now-and-future

Roland.
Toronto.


> On Sep 18, 2021, at 11:49 AM, Ivan Pereira  wrote:
> 
> Mervyn, 
> I have been a member of the World Conference of Religions & Peace (WCRP) 
> since inception in Canada, & served on its Executive Board. 
> 
> This issue specifically is not on the agenda or the purpose of WCRP. 
> However, many interfaith activities are coordinated re. various issues. 
> 
> Do ask the London UK chapter to do what it can. I used to keep in touch with 
> the London chapter, which is widely connected to various religious community 
> organizations in the UK. 
> 
> You mention a report, but I do not see a link to the report. Could u send it 
> to me? 
> 
> In some faith communities, there may be more of a hierarchical relationship 
> in families & in the faith community itself, & therefore less of a a chance 
> of publicizing this & pursuing solutions, or of widening the circle of 
> interfaith understanding. 
> 
> Do consider joining WCRP as a member & participate in their activities. 
> 
> For years in Canada, there have been investigations of Catholic clergy 
> historical abuse of young boys in educational institutions. 
> 
> The Catholic Church in Canada claims it is pursuing education of clergy & 
> correcting wrongs, etc., on this sensitive subject, & information is less 
> forthcoming. 
> 
> There have been some court cases in Nova Scotia, etc.. 
> 
> Mervyn, re. your e-address, is it located in a ‘shamba’? Very dense? 
> People meet there for privacy? 
> - Ivan D. 
> 
>> On Sep 18, 2021, at 05:03, Mervyn Maciel  
>> wrote:
>> 
>> The report is a timely warning for ALL religious groups.
>> For too long now they have been hiding under the cloak
>> of secrecy  wanting to preserve their good name while
>> allowing innocent victims to suffer further indignity.
>>  While I know the Catholic authorities in Britain have introduced
>> stringent measures to safeguard individuals against Child Sex abuse,
>> a lot still needs to be done throughout ALL religious organisations.
>> They need reminding that they are certainly not above the law.
>> 
>> 
>> Mervyn Maciel

Re: [Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Ivan Pereira]

Mervyn, 
I have been a member of the World Conference of Religions & Peace (WCRP) since 
inception in Canada, & served on its Executive Board. 

This issue specifically is not on the agenda or the purpose of WCRP. 
However, many interfaith activities are coordinated re. various issues. 

Do ask the London UK chapter to do what it can. I used to keep in touch with 
the London chapter, which is widely connected to various religious community 
organizations in the UK. 

You mention a report, but I do not see a link to the report. Could u send it to 
me? 

In some faith communities, there may be more of a hierarchical relationship in 
families & in the faith community itself, & therefore less of a a chance of 
publicizing this & pursuing solutions, or of widening the circle of interfaith 
understanding. 

Do consider joining WCRP as a member & participate in their activities. 

For years in Canada, there have been investigations of Catholic clergy 
historical abuse of young boys in educational institutions. 

The Catholic Church in Canada claims it is pursuing education of clergy & 
correcting wrongs, etc., on this sensitive subject, & information is less 
forthcoming. 

There have been some court cases in Nova Scotia, etc.. 

Mervyn, re. your e-address, is it located in a ‘shamba’? Very dense? 
People meet there for privacy? 
- Ivan D. 

> On Sep 18, 2021, at 05:03, Mervyn Maciel  
> wrote:
> 
> The report is a timely warning for ALL religious groups.
> For too long now they have been hiding under the cloak
> of secrecy  wanting to preserve their good name while
> allowing innocent victims to suffer further indignity.
>   While I know the Catholic authorities in Britain have introduced
> stringent measures to safeguard individuals against Child Sex abuse,
> a lot still needs to be done throughout ALL religious organisations.
> They need reminding that they are certainly not above the law.
> 
> 
> Mervyn Maciel

[Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Mervyn Maciel]

The report is a timely warning for ALL religious groups.
For too long now they have been hiding under the cloak
of secrecy  wanting to preserve their good name while
allowing innocent victims to suffer further indignity.
   While I know the Catholic authorities in Britain have introduced
stringent measures to safeguard individuals against Child Sex abuse,
a lot still needs to be done throughout ALL religious organisations.
They need reminding that they are certainly not above the law.


Mervyn Maciel

[Goanet] Religious Groups Found Wanting

[Roland Francis]

This report is about the UK but it is certainly occurring in other parts of the 
world too.

A recent inquiry into a wide range of religious organizations based in the 
United Kingdom found a number of issues in how such organizations handle abuse 
allegations. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) examined 
child protection within 38 religious institutions within England and Wales. 
According to their report, the groups had a “significant; or even dominant 
influence on the lives of millions of children.” It was also found that 
religious leaders deterred reporting of abuse to protect the reputations of the 
organization, and that victim-blaming was part of the tactics used to silence 
allegations. The inquiry provided several case studies from various religious 
groups including Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Alexis Jay, chair of the 
inquiry commented, “Religious organizations 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.”

Roland.
Toronto.