Statement of Apology for the Diocesan Liturgy of Lament on Thursday, 5 September 2024 at the Transitional Cathedral by Bishop Peter Carrell
As Bishop and senior leader of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch, I apologise on behalf of the Diocese to all survivors of abuse. It is unacceptable and abhorrent that you have suffered abuse while in the care of our Diocese. It is also unacceptable that our Diocese has not always responded either appropriately or fairly when you have approached the Anglican church about your abuse. For all this we are truly sorry.
On behalf of the Diocese, I also address this apology to the family and friends of those who have survived abuse and of those who have not survived – I acknowledge that some survivors have taken their own lives and some have not lived long enough to see this day.
On behalf of the Diocese, I acknowledge the bravery of people who have come forward to hold the church accountable to the care of God’s people. We hear you and we are committed to hearing you.
I also acknowledge those who have not come forward because the church as an institution or the culture of the group or groups some have belonged to in the church has intimidated them to remain silent.
Our Diocese must do better than we have done in the past.
In the light of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care, the Diocese, and the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, are committed to working with survivors of abuse to find a better way for you to seek the redress you deserve.
In conjunction with work across our whole church, the Diocese must also do better, to make our church a safe church. In recent times, we have made several significant changes to improve our processes towards becoming a safe church, and to our processes of receiving complaints, and responding to them appropriately, and we will continue to do so.
I conclude by repeating that I apologise on behalf of the Diocese to all survivors of abuse, and to family and friends of survivors of abuse. It is unacceptable and abhorrent that you have suffered abuse while in the care of our Diocese. It is also unacceptable that our Diocese has not always responded either appropriately or fairly when you have approached the Anglican church about your abuse. For all this, we are truly sorry.