JUSTICE FOR BISHOP GEORGE BELL OF CHICHESTER

"SPOTLIGHT" FILM - BOSTON GLOBE

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/05/11/465123/71-US-priests-exposed-over-sexual-abuse

71 US priests accused of sexually abusing children

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore has released the names of 71 priests accused of sexual harassment of children.

The archdiocese in the US state of Maryland released the names of the clergy men on their website, saying they faced “credible” accusations of sexual abuse.

The move was made as part of the fallout from the Boston Globe daily investigations portrayed in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight....

Approximately 6,900 US Roman Catholic priests were accused of sexual abuse with at least 16,900 young victims between 1950 and 2011, according to data from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The US Catholic Church is facing severe financial difficulties over settlement payments to victims and other costs.

"ADELEDICNANDER" COMMENT

Radio 4's 'Sunday' on 1st May...reported a...group of theologians' call for the Pope to end the "medieval practice" of "anonymous denunciations" of unorthodox beliefs to "The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith". Those accused do not know who their accusers are but face censure or even excommunication in absolute secrecy and without knowing why....Father Brian D'Arcey...is asked if "The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" is behaving rather like a law unto itself in these matters.
"The process itself is unjust...You never know your accuser. You never meet the accuser. The people in the CDF are the accusers...judge...witness, and indeed the defenders. And I still don't know - or nobody else does - what's going on. It's un-gospel like, it's un-Christian...and we're asking for it to be reformed."

DAVID M. COMMENT

"The certainty of the church that Bishop Bell committed this "crime" in the face of an almost complete lack of objective evidence is a national scandal"

TREVOR T. COMMENT

"Whilst the church must respond diligently to all accusations of abuse, it must also embrace the concept of presumed innocence until proper evidence, presented after a scrupulous and fair investigation, proves otherwise. Failure to do this will simply mean that the church will encourage and perpetuate a new form of abuse through false and malicious accusations to which anyone could potentially fall victim"

PAUL L. COMMENT

"The idea of breaking down the legacy of a man on the basis of a secret and unproven criminal accusation is repulsive to me. It is essential in these strained times to resist these retrograde impulses"

CLARE R COMMENT

"Until a full investigation is undertaken it is wrong to besmirch him. We must keep the presumption of innocence until proven guilty as it is one of the most important aspects of our legal system that prevents miscarriages of justice"

RWS UPDATE

"Most institutions, including the church, now have in place processes which are rigorous, objective, and fair"

~ The Dean of Chichester, Stephen Waine (Cathedral Newsletter Winter 2015)

"In this case, the scrutiny of the allegation has been thorough, objective"

~ The Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner (Cathedral Newsletter Winter 2015)

Unless the present Dean and Bishop participated in the Investigation, the circumstances of which are enclosed in secrecy, HOW DO THEY KNOW the scrutiny of the claims against Bishop Bell were "thorough, objective...rigorous...and fair"?!

~ Richard W. Symonds

RWS LETTER SUBMISSION 1 OF 2

Dear Editor

4 Canon Lane Chichester should now be returned back to its original name of George Bell House - especially after the Dean of Chichester wrote this in the Cathedral Winter Newsletter:

"In time we will acquire ways to continue to recognise the huge contribution which Bell made to the history of his time and his lasting legacy, and hold them alongside an acknowledgement of his serious
wrongdoing. It will take time and patience"

How do we know George Bell, Bishop of Chichester, was guilty of serious wrongdoing and of the particular serious wrongdoing of which he is accused ? The Church of England confined itself to a judgement on "the balance of probabilities". It said in effect : this is what we think most likely in view of the evidence and what we have to act on.

RWS LETTER SUBMISSION 2 OF 2

The Church made no unqualified claim Bishop Bell was guilty. The Dean, by contrast, appears to have no doubt about his guilt : and not merely appears to, but actually does, present the Bishop's guilt as a matter of fact. The Dean of Chichester has overstepped the mark by seriously misrepresenting the Church's position.

The present Bishop of Chichester must now respond to what his Dean has said. The Bishop is under no legal constraint to remain silent. Continued silence would be deemed consent to what the Dean has said in the Winter Newsletter.

Was it the Dean who issued the 'decree' regarding the re-naming of George Bell House to 4 Canon Lane?

If so, we must look to the Bishop of Chichester - and beyond - to right this wrong.

~ Richard W. Symonds

PETER T COMMENT

"Innocent until proven guilty. Simple as... Otherwise we are all in jeopardy to any smear or unsupported allegation"

STUART H COMMENT

"As an atheist, I might be expected to take any opportunity to fling mud at a struggling church, but as a fair-minded person I feel compelled to urge the church to fully examine the evidence and resist the current fashion for 'justice' based solely on Salem-style mass hysteria, mixed with an inability to accept that some people genuinely do try to live saintly lives"

"AT LAST - A SMALL VICTORY IN THE REHABILITATION OF GEORGE BELL" - BY PETER HITCHENS

Here is a picture of the portrait of Bishop George Bell, now restored to its rightful place in the elegant old Council House (town hall) at Chichester, where he was Bishop for many distinguished and courageous years.

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2016/05/at-last-a-small-victory-in-the-rehabilitation-of-george-bell.html#comments

DR RUTH HILDEBRANDT GRAYSON LETTER TO THE BISHOP OF CHICHESTER - PART 1

Bishop Martin Warner
The Palace
Chichester
W Sussex PO19 1PY

Dear Bishop Warner

With reference to your letter of 5 May 2016 and our other recent correspondence relating to the case of Bishop George Bell, I would like specific answers to the following points, on which I have taken advice:

DR RUTH HILDEBRANDT GRAYSON LETTER TO THE BISHOP OF CHICHESTER - PART 2

A diocesan 'committee', such as that set up to investigate the Bell case, has no status as a court. It may use the procedures of a civil law court, but these cannot be held to indicate that a legal process has been duly carried out.

'Carol's' subsequent interviews with the media abrogate any confidentiality agreements that may have been reached between the two parties in settlement of the case.

In any case in law where claims have been made against one party, it is incumbent upon lawyers to obtain statements from both parties. This is especially the case where the accused is long dead. I have been advised that it would not be possible to come to a legally valid decision if this has not happened. Moreover, it is not permissable for one party (i.e. the Diocese of Chichester) to act as judge and jury in a case in which it has an interest.

DR RUTH HILDEBRANDT GRAYSON LETTER TO THE BISHOP OF CHICHESTER - PART 3

A case for the defence has now been assembled by the George Bell Support Group, containing evidence (including an eyewitness account) that has not yet been tested in court. It is now incumbent on the Diocese to reopen the case and place a new investigation in the hands of the appropriate impartial and legally recognised authorities.