Peter Ball, former C of E bishop jailed for sexual abuse, dies at 87

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Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent

Former friend of Prince Charles served 16 months in prison for offences against 18 young men

 Peter Ball, 83, pictured arriving at the Old Bailey in London during his trial in 2015. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

Peter Ball, the disgraced former Anglican bishop who was sent to prison for sexually abusing vulnerable young men, has died at the age of 87.

Ball, who was a friend of the Prince of Wales and other influential members of the establishment, was jailed in 2015 – more than 20 years after allegations were made against him that were largely ignored or downplayed by the church.

 

Peter Hancock, the bishop of Bath and Wells and the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, said: “We have been made aware of the death of Peter Ball and our prayers and thoughts are with everyone affected by this news.”

Ball, who was bishop of Lewes and bishop of Gloucester, served 16 months of a 32-month sentence for sexual offences against 18 young men.

He had resigned as a bishop and accepted a police caution in 1993 after allegations were made, but was allowed to continue officiating in the Church of England.

Last month, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) said the Church of England had put its own reputation above the needs of abuse victims in the Ball case and there had been a a serious failure of leadership by the former archbishop of Canterbury George Carey.

The inquiry also found misguided expressions of support for Ball by Prince Charles and other members of the establishment when the bishop was accused of sexual offences.

Ball had “sought to use his relationship with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to further his campaign to return to unrestricted ministry”, the 250-page report said. The Duchy of Cornwall bought a property to be rented by Ball after he resigned as a bishop.

The prince’s actions “could have been interpreted as expressions of support for Peter Ball and, given the Prince of Wales’s future role within the Church of England, had the potential to influence the actions of the church,” IICSA said.

In a written submission to the IICSA, Prince Charles said he had been deceived over a long period of time “about the true nature” of Ball’s activities, but denied he had sought to influence the outcome of police investigations.

 At Ball’s sentencing, Mr Justice Wilkie said Ball had abused his position as a senior member of the established church. “You pursued selected individuals to commit or submit to acts of physical or sexual debasement under the guise of it being part of an austere regime of devotion,” he said. “These acts were committed at your suggestion for your own sexual gratification.”

Neil Todd, who made the first allegation of abuse in 1993, attempted suicide three times and went on to kill himself in 2012.

The Church of England commissioned an independent review into its handling of the Ball case, which concluded that the church “appears to have been most interested in protecting itself”.

Church leaders are expected to make contact with survivors of Ball’s abuse following his death.

 https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/23/peter-ball-bishop-jailed-sexual-abuse-dead-at-87

Archbishop revokes school’s Catholic designation over refusal to fire gay teacher

News

 

(RNS) — The archbishop of Indianapolis has revoked the Catholic designation of a Jesuit high school in the city after administrators refused to fire a teacher who is married to a same-sex partner.

According to a statement released by the archdiocese on Thursday (June 20), Archbishop Charles C. Thompson has sent a canonical decree to Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School stating that he will no longer recognize it “as a Catholic institution.”

A separate letter by Brian G. Paulson, provincial for the Midwest Jesuits, detailed how the Society of Jesus has been feuding with the archdiocese over the 57-year-old school for more than two years. The Midwest Jesuits argue that final say over whether to fire the teacher — who does not teach religion — “should be afforded a school sponsored by a religious order.”

Lawsuit against Roman Catholic Church

David – non-governmental human rights organization

Zagreb, Croatia

 

in the name of millions of the oppressed, deceived, tortured, murdered, robbed as well as those sexually, mentally and physically abused

 

SUES THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, HEADQUARTERED IN THE VATICAN

 

Lawsuit for the act of deception and conspiracy

 

For the first time in history states (nations) with Catholic majority

have been sent a well-argued lawsuit pointing to what – the Catholic Church in fact is (not).

For centuries the Catholic Church has succeeded in persuading, that is to say deceiving the world by false impersonation that it is the only one which has been entrusted with the leadership of mankind. Sometimes justice is slow – in this case this slowness (injustice) has lasted for centuries – but it is always sure.

The Catholic Church has consciously been practicing the greatest deception ever used on the Earth. Its consequences are historically unfathomable for the whole world as well as for many people!

 

If that deception had not been practiced, today the world would look different; freer, gentler, fairer, lighter, spiritually wealthier. Nations would be mutual friends, not enemies. People would be happier and healthier.

 

Justice and the truth are mills that cannot be halted permanently

or turned to make the mill wheel turn backwards, the same as river flow cannot be returned to its source.

For centuries mankind has been persuaded (and so is today!)

that a world view is the same as our conscience. The truth is that conscience is the entrance-hall of the truth, and a world view is the entrance-hall of demagogy or ideology.

 

We would like to believe that the conscience of many people – the inner feeling for the truth – is above their world view. Conscience and the truth are our innate qualities, while a world view is imposed on us from outside. Conscience neither imposes anything nor judges anybody. A world view is full of orders and prohibitions!

 

It is up to you – to support the Lawsuit taking the side of those demanding freedom of conscience and freedom of thinking, or not and thus help the Catholic Church to cover up the deception and sexual abuse of children.

 

Give some thought to many people who had to give their lives for the message of the truth.

 

Go to link of Lawsuit – it is up to You how youˈll react!!!

 

At the end of the text of this suit there is a list of the states and numerous human rights organizations this suit has been sent to.