Priest accepts aid from church commission
THE Anglican Church’s Safe and Inclusive Church Commission’s offer to assist the female priest who claimed she was raped by a fellow member of the clergy has been accepted.
The commission, known as Safe Church, was established in 2019 and includes gender activists who have been campaigning to root out abuse.
Reverend June Major, 51, claimed she was raped in 2002 at the Grahamstown seminary, and has accused the clergy of doing nothing about the alleged crime.
Yesterday, she released a statement that she would accept the help of Safe Church.
“I have decided to accept your invitation to participate in the Safe Church’s process to investigate my allegations of rape and the Anglican Church’s role in protecting my rapist, who still ministers in the Diocese of Cape Town, resulting in my isolation and further traumatisation as a victim,” Major said.
She said she wanted justice to be served within the church.
On June 29, Major went on a hunger strike and pitched a tent outside the home of Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
She ended her hunger strike five days later, after meeting Makgoba.
Rosalie Manning, chairperson of the commission, said Major had two options: she could act using church law or file criminal charges under state law.
Under church law, an internal investigation would be conducted by the church.
Major would have to appoint a presenter of her choice to state her case before a tribunal, which is open to the public.
“As I have stated many times before, I have no desire for vengeance. I only pray that I will be fairly heard,” Major said. |