In a response to a letter sent by the former Chair of the Commission examining Safeguarding Protocols in the Catholic Church, the Assistant General Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference has rejected claims that the recommendations produced by the McLellan Commission are not being implemented.
In a letter sent to the Bishops’ Conference by Rev. Andrew McLellan, the former commission chair claims that action is not being taken, survivors are not being supported and independent scrutiny is not being introduced.
Responding to the letter, the Assistant General Secretary of the Conference, Fr. Tom Boyle said;
“Last August the Bishops’ Conference welcomed the McLellan Commission Report and accepted its recommendations in full, undertaking to implement them all. This commitment has not diminished in any way, every recommendation will be implemented.
Three months later, the Bishops published a detailed Implementation plan, describing how all of the recommendations would be acted upon. The plan was posted online and open to consultation and comment.
As Dr.McLellan had informed the Church that all the records of the Commission had been destroyed and he could not divulge which survivors had been consulted, approaching those individuals was not possible. That however does not mean that survivors need’s have not informed policy. One survivor who met Archbishop Tartaglia spoke of feeling “more at peace now, than for a. long time” While the Raphael: Opening the Doors to Healing Counselling Service for anyone abused within the Church was launched in October 2015, two months after the publication of the McLellan Report.
An independent review group as recommended by the Commission is being established. A chair has accepted and the members are being confirmed. They will be announced after the December meeting of the Bishops’ Conference. The group’s first task will be to review the progress of the first 12 months of the implementation plan.
Transparency and openness are at the heart of the Church’s Safeguarding mission. We do not believe any other church, charity or public body in Scotland publishes detailed annual audits nor have any undertaken a public consultation, as the Bishops’ Conference did on its Implementation Plan.
In releasing his report last year, Dr. McLellan described the Bishops’ decision to ask a Minister of the Church of Scotland to carry out this review as demonstrating “ecumenical trust” and “generosity of spirit” since the Church allowed Dr. McLellan two years to write his recommendations without comment, it is to be hoped that the in the same spirit of trust and generosity of spirit, the Church will be given at least the same amount of time to implement them.”