Over 50 UK priests defrocked since ’ 01
“The are theories, especially the weather, but I’m not excluding any theory.”
Aviation officials lost contact of flight AH5017 at around 0155 GMT on Thursday, less than an hour after taking off for London, July 25: More than 50 Roman Catholic priests in England and Wales related to sexual have been defrocked abuse, said the NCSC, for sex abuse since an independent body London, July 25: The first 2001, the Church’s that works within the archive dedicated to the child protection Church framework. culture and experiences of watchdog revealed on Officials accept a black people in Britain Thursday. reluctance to come foropened on Thursday, with
Some 52 priests have ward means many the aim of shining a light been laicised, or cases have gone unreon a long overlooked history. stripped of their minported. “Since 2002, we istry, the National have referred any allehe £ 7 million ($ 11.9- milCatholic Safeguarding gation that comes forlion, 8.8- million euro) Commission ( NCSC) ward, historic or curBlack Cultural Archives said, after implemenrent, to the police,” houses books, diaries, tation of new proceNCSC chairman newspapers, photographs dures to protect chilDanny Sullivan told and artefacts dating back dren. Between 2003 AFP. He said if a priest almost 2,000 years, as well and 2013, 598 abuse was convicted of as an exhibition space and allegations against the abuse, then the local learning tools for schools. clergy were reported bishop would liaise It is the culmination of by dioceses and reliwith the Vatican over three decades of campaigngious congregations in removing the priest ing and fundraising, and England and Wales, of from his ministry. those behind the project which 77 per cent were hope it will increase awareness of the long history of people of African and Caribbean roots in Britain.
“It’s very much a hidden history,” Paul Reid, the director of the archives, told AFP at a launch event filled with performances of music, poetry and dance.
The goal is to “collect, preserve and celebrate the history of people of African descent in the UK”, he said, adding that this was “critically important” to people’s sense of identity.
“When you know that we’ve always been here, it gives you a different sense of belonging,” he said.
Black African or Black Caribbean people currently make up 3.3 per cent of the population of England and Wales, according to the 2011 census, the second largest ethnic minority after South Asians. Many communities were established after World War II when large numbers of immigrants from the Caribbean — many of them soldiers who fought for the British — arrived to start a new life. — AFP
Reuters