The Archbishop of Canterbury apologized when he was accused of contempt serious failure to maintain in the Church of England
Justin Welby made his final speech in the court of lords on Thursday. The speech was criticized by a bishop who said it was “disturbed” by the language used, and an abuse survivor who said it was “tone deaf”.
The archbishop referred to the 14th-century decolletage, which suggested laughter to some of his peers, and “if anyone had pity on me, the poor diary secretary”, who had seen weeks and months of work “disappear in the blast of the announcement of resignation”.
Welby announced a month ago that he was resigning from his primordial role in the Church “in pain with all victims and survivors abused”, after c Makin Review.
The resignation announcement came after days of pressure, once an independent review concluded that John Smyth – believed to be the most prolific signal abuser associated with the Church – could have been brought to justice when Welby formally reported him to the police in 2013.
Welby initially refused to resign when the report was published, saying he had “no idea or suspicion” of Smyth’s abuse before 2013, but the review found him guilty after a wider disclosure that year and despite being reported to the police. “I don’t personally care” was “investigated”.
On Friday he said: “Yesterday, I gave my farewell speech in the court of lords as part of the housing and housing dispute. I would like to apologize from the bottom of my heart for the hurt my speech has caused.
“I understand my words, what I have said, and what I have omitted to say – I continue to be deeply hurt and hurt by John Smyth’s nefarious abuse and the far-reaching effects of others.” the crimes of the criminal.
“He didn’t want to ignore the experience of the rest or make light of the situation – I’m very sorry that he did that.
“I am left to take both personal and institutional care over the long term and beyond after the 2013 conflict, and the damage it has caused to survivors.
“I continue to feel a deep sense of shame at the Church of England’s historic preservation of wrongdoing.”