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A third of Catholics in England and Wales have reduced their Mass attendance due to concerns over the child sexual abuse crisis within the Church, according to a new report.
In response, Bishop Paul Mason, lead bishop for safeguarding in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has vowed to ensure the Church is safe for all.
“I would like to assure Catholics, and indeed anyone who has concerns, that safeguarding is integral to a bishop’s work and ministry and that we will not rest in our efforts to make the Church a place of safety and sanctuary for all.”
Bishop Mason also issued an apology “for the failings of the past” and pledged to “listen attentively” to victims of abuse.
The report, titled “Attitudes of Catholics in England and Wales to Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church”, was conducted by Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies.
The centre surveyed over 3,000 Catholics in June/July 2022, revealing that 79% of respondents believe the Church must undergo significant change to prevent further abuse.
Lost moral authority
One of the most concerning findings in the report is that over three-quarters (77%) of Catholics believe the Church has lost its moral authority due to the abuse crisis.
The sample featured regular and occasional Mass-goers alongside those identifying as Catholic but no longer maintaining Mass attendance.
“Overall, our analysis of the data shows that the Catholic community feels abuse is not a uniquely Catholic or clerical problem” said Marcus Pound, one of the report’s writers. “However, there is also a conviction that the Church needs to make changes to prevent such abuse happening in the future.”
The report follows earlier research published in April titled “The Cross of the Moment” and continues to offer insights on how the Church can improve its safeguarding practices.
Bishop Mason welcomed this ongoing research, stating “We as bishops will never pass up an opportunity to learn from research that can improve our safeguarding work”.
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