The Catholic Church in England and Wales has once again offered an apology to the victims of abuse in the Church, following the news that a bishop has been charged with the rape of a minor.
David Oakley, the Catholic Bishop of Northampton, was charged with two counts of rape that allegedly took place between February 2000 and February 2001.
Following the news a joint statement was released by Archbishop Richard Moth, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and Vice-President, Archbishop Bernard Longley.
The statement acknowledged that the charges are “deeply distressing” for all concerned and could “reawaken painful memories for many people”. In recognition the archbishops reiterated their “unreserved apology to those who have been hurt by abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales”.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales first offered an apology for the child abuse scandal in April 2010, with then Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols issuing a statement that said, “We express our heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed. We ask their pardon, and the pardon of God for these terrible deeds done in our midst. There can be no excuses.”
As well as reiterating their apology, the Bishops' Conference also reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding and the prevention of abuse.
“The Catholic Church in England and Wales maintains a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in the Church and in wider society, and we are cooperating fully with the statutory authorities," the statement said.
It added, “We are committed to continual review and development, assisted by the independent auditing work of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency, so that all our communities are places of safety and sanctuary for all.”
In a separate statement, the Diocese of Northampton urged anyone with safeguarding concerns to report them to the diocesan safeguarding team or to the police.
The diocesan safeguarding Team can be contacted on 01604 723514 or via email: safeguarding@northamptondiocese.org.
