“Don’t leave clergy alone with children”

Over breakfast I was reading yesterday’s Melbourne Age (because I am always a little behind in my newspaper reading) and I came across the following headline on page three: Don’t leave clergy alone with children.

It’s about a report made to the Anglican Church about how they can prevent child abuse by clergy. I know how important that is. But I’m finding the article difficult.

Yesterday at a funeral I approached two teenage girls who had spoken and told them they could call me or arrange to see me anytime if they wanted someone to talk to about their loss. If by any chance they choose to do that, I don’t want to have to make sure there’s a third person around because I’m not trusted to be alone with them. Every couple of weeks I attend a music group for pre-schoolers. After the formal program the mothers gather for coffee and the children and I usually play outside, without another adult present. This isn’t a danger for the children.

I don’t like this world in which adults are not to be trusted around children. I really don’t like a world in which my profession makes me seem less trustworthy rather than more trustworthy. I know that it’s the fault of the clergy who have abused children and the churches that in the past have covered that up. But I can’t help feeling that “don’t leave clergy alone with children” is going way too far.

New webpages

The linked congregations to which I minister: Lancefield; Mount Macedon; Riddells Creek and Romsey, now have their own website. It can be accessed here. From now on all my sermons will be posted on my page over there and can be accessed here. And if you want somewhere to get married (not looking at any particular cohort of my friends) the Mount Macedon page has information on their wedding package.

Today is the International Day of Conscientious Objection

World Council of Churches – News Release

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION SEES POSITIVE GLOBAL TREND BUT SERIOUS PROBLEMS REMAIN

In spite of a global trend to better recognize the right to conscientious objection – which is marked with an International Day on 15 May – those who exercise that right are often discriminated against, persecuted, repeatedly punished or sent to prison in many countries, first results of a study being conducted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) show.

Funerals

Funerals are the most exhausting services in my repertoire. Four hours from the arrival of the funeral directors with the coffin to the departure of the mourners after afternoon tea and I feel as though I’ve just put in a twenty-hour day. But when the family thank me and tell me that the service was wonderful, good, lovely, just what their mother would have wanted – nothing I do is more satisfying.