We urge you to read this report and start asking some challenging questions. It is all too believable. ‘The bishop placed the needs of himself and his associates over the safety of potentially vulnerable individuals. This was unacceptable and dangerous practice.’

Children and young people were put at potential risk of serious harm because, although the bishop’s conduct was known to be risky, effective action was not promptly taken.

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The CSSA, funded by the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, has reported a miserable catalogue of failures. However, it has no authority to enforce its far-reaching recommendations. 

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Now it's down to the Bishops of England & Wales. Will they follow through on their website statement this week that ‘The Bishops’ Conference reiterates that safeguarding lies at the heart of the mission of the Church’? Please note that they don’t commit to implementing the recommendations, only to examining them.

We all need the courage to:

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• Read the executive summary                                 and the full report: 
   

• Send it to all our friends and contacts and ask them to read it too.
   

• Start asking difficult questions about the appointment and removal of bishops.
   

• Raise it with every parish priest and pastoral council; copies available in church; piece in the newsletter with a link to the report.
   

• Do it yourself if the priest refuses, and tell us. Give a link to the website and a plea to ‘read this report’ explaining why, to everyone leaving church.
   

• Insist that survivors must be involved as equal partners in putting things right.
   

• Make sure that your bishop knows your views.
   

• Read and share our publication ‘It’s Our Church and it’s up to us!’.