Monday 11 December 2017

Sex abuse bishop Peter Ball and brother seek Catholic switch- BBC



Peter BallImage copyrightPA
Image captionPeter Ball was jailed for sex offences against teenagers and young men between the 1970s and 1990s

A former bishop jailed for sex offences and his twin brother have said they are looking to join the Catholic Church to "live and worship in anonymity".
Peter Ball, who is now 85, was jailed for 32 months in October 2015 for offences against 18 teenagers and men.
The former Bishop of Lewes and of Gloucester carried out the abuse between the 1970s and 1990s.
Ball's identical twin and former bishop Michael Ball said in an email events had "wearied and reduced us".


Email from Michael Ball

In the email, mistakenly sent from Michael Ball to BBC South East's Colin Campbell among others, the brothers said having been "battered by the Church" they would be looking to join the Roman Catholic Church.
They said they would like to "end our days in a church where we can live and worship in anonymity and without constant fear".
The BBC contacted Michael Ball about the email and he said a move to the Catholic Church was "a possibility".
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton said in a statement: "We confirm that Peter Ball has been in contact with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton, in which diocese he now lives, expressing an interest in becoming a member of the Catholic Church.
"This matter is subject to discussions between Clifton Diocese and the statutory authorities, who are the lead with regards to Peter Ball's risk management in the community."

'Manipulative' campaign

An independent review of Ball's case by Dame Moira Gibb criticised the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey.
Dame Moira said he had received seven letters from families and individuals following the arrest and cautioning of Ball in 1992 for gross indecency - when he stood down as Bishop of Gloucester - but failed to pass six of them to the police.
Lord Carey had also failed to put Ball on the the "Lambeth List" which names clergymen whose suitability for ministry had been questioned.
Dame Moira also heard Bishop Michael Ball allowed his brother to attend functions in his place, even after his resignation, and on one occasion Peter Ball had introduced himself as his brother.
In 1994 Michael Ball campaigned to Lord Carey to return his brother to the ministry, with one bishop calling the brothers' activities "manipulative", Dame Moira reported.
Between 1995 and 1997, with Lord Carey's backing. Peter Ball returned to church ministry, eventually undertaking duties such as confirmations.
After a series of investigations Balls' ministry ceased in 2011, Dame Moira reported.
He was released from jail in February after serving 16 months.

PAT SAYS:
I don't think that the Catholic church needs these two Balls!
I'm afraid we have enough homegrown pedophile priests ourselves without importing more from the Church of England.
If these two men do become part of a worshipping congregation the child protection officers in that parish will need to take a special interest in them to make sure that the parish's children and vulnerable adults are not put in any danger. 
They complain of "battering" by the Church of England! Surely those who have abused children and vulnerable adults have to be dealt with in a rigorous manner.  
It strikes me that they feel sorrier for themselves than they do for their victims.
They brought their trouble on themselves.
It is not a good sign that they are wallowing in self-pity instead of being totally repentant for what they did.
Self-pity and feeling hard done by are the marks of an abuser who does not realize the gravity of the crimes they committed. 


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OUR JACK RUSSELL "POLAR BEAR"

ARIA IN THE LARNE SNOW

36 comments:

  1. Pat, why don't you do a piece on religious congregations that let diocesan paedophile priests hide in their monasteries???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Cistersians and the Benedictines hide paedo priests.

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    2. Maybe they are safer there than living in houses among families?

      A lot of these orders have monasteries in big estates away from families and Children?

      Delete
    3. Do you remember the goings on at the orthodox monastery at Blanco, Texas several years ago? I remember that their abbot said that monasteries were places populated by all types of pedophiles like himself and that the laity should avoid such places. (Poor soul offed himself eventually.)

      A shrink friend told me that the only sensible thing is to lock them up and throw away the key. Simplistic but effective.

      As to the Balls why not throw them to the Fraudinariate, as a newly departed friend used to call the Ordinariate?

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    4. To 13.34
      Re/your comment that "a shrink friend told me the only sensible thing was to lock them up and throw away the key.."
      If you still feel strongly concerned or worried about him/her making this statement you can report it to the the British Medical Association (BMA) or its equivalent in your region. Their ethics Committee will be prepared to take it very seriously even if there has been a time lag. You will be required to provide a detailed account and verify your facts Please don't hesitate to ask for further help if you wish to do this.

      Delete
  2. I agree with you completely on this one, Pat.

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  3. That is a lovely little dog Pat. It must bring a lot of happiness to you and your partner.

    I agree with you about those men. I see nothing but self pity in them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aria is an albino Jack Russell and amazingly affectionate.

      We rescued her in March.

      A pure gem.

      Delete
    2. Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight keep some naughty ones.

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    3. Father Dominic Savio the Dublin paedo lived in the Franciscan monastery in Donegal. Think he's dead now.

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  4. People with all kinds of demons and diseases came to Jesus. He never turned them away. All safeguarding measures must be in place. Is there something prophetic in this.

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    Replies
    1. Sean, we probably do need places that house these men SAFELY.

      But they do need strong supervision for the sake of others and themselves.

      Delete
    2. Are they looking to be lay catholics?? The church does not house lay catholics.

      Sit them in the pew, let them worship, let the safe guarding officer know and never give them a lay role that exposes children to risk. And make sure the PP is informed...

      I agree with Sean on this. Thevwelcoming of the prodical son is not without risk, but it is with some merit.

      Delete
  5. Safety is paramount but I dont see old style asylums solving anything. These people need appropriate case management and supervision not to engage in criminal activity

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    Replies
    1. While agreeing with the ideals of case management and close supervision I'm conscious of the low priority given to this in terms of the allocation of resources by the state and politicians. Out of sight = out of mind seems the prevailing ethos.
      MMM

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  6. 10.03
    That is very worrying, are you sure ?
    Hope he is dead now.
    So he would have had access to the most beautiful and busiest beach in Ireland all summers.
    Who would have protected the public from him..a few auld dotering fellas that live there.

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  7. So Fr domnic would have walked the beach where children are in abundance ever summer.
    Please don’t tell me there was a paedo at Rossnowlagh
    You do know the monastery overlooks the beach.
    Who in their right mind would put a paedo there ?

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    Replies
    1. I think he was in the Ards Friary. I don't think that's Rossnowlagh?

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  8. Those 2 men can join whatever religion that will accept them
    They should not be written about Pat.
    We don’t want their names mentioned ever again
    They just need locked up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you be locked up for having a brother who molested a child 40 years ago?

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    2. No, you can't. You are not the offender.

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    3. Can you be locked up having served a judically imposed sentence for all crimes you have been found guilty of?

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    4. Why would you fear imprisonment for someone else's crime? - unless you aided and abetted.

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    5. You wouldn't be re-tried for a previously settled matter unless new evidence came to light and was submitted against you.

      Delete
  9. I think that Bishop Ball and his brother should be accepted with Christan charity into our Church. The Lord forgives ALL sins.

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  10. As one of the men has a criminal record there will be a safeguarding package put in place as to where and when he can go to church. He won't be allowed to just wander freely.

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    Replies
    1. Given the current state of 'aftercare supervisory service's with massive cuts, privatisations and general run down of the whole network of public services I think you are being overly optimistic. The probation services for example have been largely privatised, and the potential of further abuse by an 85 year old whose crimes (ie "known crimes ") date back to the 1970/90's will be viewed as low priority. Although Ball will still be 'on licence for aprox a further six months his 'supervision ' will be cursory.
      MMM

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    2. But the church is very careful in dealing with known ex offenders.

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    3. Further to my reference to the run-down of supervisory aftercare, I read on the BBC news online today, that:
      Analysis and research into Chris Grayling's 2014 "reform" of the English probation services are described as a "damning indictment". The service was split into a national probation service for high risk offenders, with recommendations that officers have a maximum of 60 cases. The recent research finds that many junior probation officers are carrying 200+ cases!
      Low risk offenders were hived off to 21 separate private Community /rehabilitation Companies. (That's shorthand for profit seeking organisations) Analysing those, they found that many offenders were being "supervised" merely by 'check in' phone calls every six weeks, and rarely face to face!
      I don't think 80+ year old sex offenders will merit much attention.
      MMM
      They find, for exa

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  11. Hope your little dog sounds musical with a wonderful name like Aria! What is her Bach like I wonder...?

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  12. Paedophillia is much much more than a sin
    You clerics need get over yourselves....sin isn’t the be and end all.
    These men have destroyed so many lives...for ever.
    Lock them up and keep them lcccked away from society.
    11.53 keep preaching, its all you useful for.



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    Replies
    1. 13.15. I just hope you never have reason to beg for mercy, rehabilitation, kindness of others, support or understanding in your time of need. If course abusers should pay "in justice" for their horrific crimes. But to make so ignorant a comment condemning all priests is unfair and unjust. Then, reading your words, I somehow think you have limited intelligence!

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    2. 20:09 - your intemperate response does nothing to change the perceptions of the victims of sexual abuse regarding the church and the well documented cover-ups, lies and indifference.

      13:15 - if you are a victim of sexual abuse all I can say is that I am very sorry for you and I will pray for you. If you were the victim of clerical sexual abuse, I am even more sorry and can understand why you would hate the church and all priests. Instead of having your faith nourished and feeling God's love you had your faith destroyed and your image of God tarnished - if not annihilated.

      Delete
  13. Fresh allegations today on the BBC Wales website that the notorious predator John Cronin and the child abuse downloader Fr John Shannon lived at Caldy Abbey in West Wales.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-42330242

    ReplyDelete