Sunday 4 January 2015

I agree, the JEP being a bit squalid here, nothing new

http://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2015/01/02/st-peter-vicar-resigns-after-affair/

I don't agree with the diocese covering up for and protecting abusers at the expense of victims or people hurt by the abuse, but I do agree with the comments that this could have been kept private, for decency's sake, especially the naming of the lady involved.
The Vicar may well leave Jersey, but the lay reader is less likely to, so what becomes of her? Will she be shamed in the small and closed community of the Jersey churches, just as I was for reporting the churchwarden? Will she be hated for 'losing them their Vicar' as Jersey is old fashioned?
If you are named in the paper like that, on a small island like Jersey, it can make your life hell.

The Vicar came from the UK, but a lay reader is more likely to be a longer term resident, although that is just a guess. It seems all wrong to name the reader, or indeed, why did the matter make the news, couldn't a decent quiet stepping down of both parties have been arranged?
I mean, when it comes to abuse, that is what the Diocese of Winchester tend to arrange, isn't it? Is an affair really worse than child abuse?

Well, as far as the church are concerned, autism, psychological damage from childhood, poverty and being naive are all worse than abuse and abusers, hence them branding me and having me imprisoned while they protected my abusers and their supporters, hence them publishing a report slandering me and spewing my personal life internationally so I was slandered by strangers, but the same wasn't done to my abusers and their supporters.

One of my earliest experiences of the Diocese of Winchester was JM's Benefice administor running of with a woman from the Diocesan Headquarters and leaving his wife alone, dying of cancer.
The fact that these were people in Church positions was bad enough, but the fact it was all excused was worse, followed swiftly by our youth leader being found guilty of paedophilia, and also excused, and called a 'good man really' despite the fact that child abuse ruins lives.
The church shouldn't excuse the inexcusable, they should not cover up to the point they harm people, they shouldn't condone wrong, but they also shouldn't allow the business of vulnerable people or their employees to be spewed round the press, as they did in the Korris report. The Church of England are a bit topsy-turvy.

Regarding the Jersey Vicar and his affair, he is indeed supposed to be setting an example to his flock, and he has got it wrong, and that will affect him for the rest of his life, likewise the lay reader, but that is between them and God.
Pray for them and for the Vicar's wife, this must be catastrophic for her, to find out and to see it in the papers.