Mandatory reporting to be added to statute book
THE Government has announced its intention of introducing into the Criminal Justice Bill mandatory reporting of kid sexual abuse. On Wednesday, the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said: “Having listened to the voices of victims and survivors, and reviewed the work of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, we’re working at pace to get a compulsory reporting duty for child sexual abuse on to the statute book.” The Church of England group Forward in Faith has previously opposed the extension of mandatory reporting to priests, arguing that it might compromise the seal of confession — the duty under canon law for the priest to listen to confessions in strict confidence (News, 18 August 2023).
New partnership to assistance on climate “front line”
THE Anglican Alliance and Christian Aid have signed a recent three-year partnership agreement to tackle extreme poverty within the wake of climate change, starting in Bangladesh, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Anglican Alliance was formally established in 2011, having been discussed on the 2008 Lambeth Conference. It is remitted to supply a platform for development, relief, and advocacy work across the Anglican Communion. The memorandum of understanding will initially concentrate on three areas: helping communities living on the front line of climate change; supporting churches and their congregations to organize for climate disasters; and promoting equality and reducing violence and conflict.
Four convicted for Euston drive-by shooting
FOUR men were convicted at Kingston Crown Court last week in reference to the injury of two children and 4 women outside St Aloysius’s RC Church, Euston, in London, in January 2023, when shots were fired from a moving vehicle (News, 20 January 2023). The men — Tyrell Lacroix-Omar, 23, of Dorman Way, Swiss Cottage, Jashy Perch, 20, of Churchfields Road, Watford, Jordan Walters, 24, of Hilltop Avenue, Brent, and Alrico Nelson-Martin, 20, of Griffin Close, Brent — were convicted of conspiracy to wound with intent to cause serious harm. Nelson-Martin was also convicted of possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life.
Last Bishop of Malmesbury, a BBC producer, dies
THE former broadcaster and Suffragan Bishop of Malmesbury, within the diocese of Bristol, the Rt Revd Peter Firth died last Friday, aged 94, his family announced this week. He was the last Bishop of Malmesbury (1983 to 1994) before the see was modified to Swindon, and was also an honorary assistant bishop in Bristol and Gloucester dioceses on the time of his death. After Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he had trained for the priesthood at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and was ordained in 1956. He served his title at St Stephen’s, Barbourne, in Worcester diocese. After a second curacy, he was Rector of St George’s, Abbey Hey, in Manchester, from 1962 to 1966. He became a religious-broadcasting assistant for the BBC’s northern region, after which a senior producer of BBC religious programmes in Bristol. When a suffragan, he was also Anglican adviser for HTV West.
Gloucester CathedralWhere they sing: the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester meet the choristers of Gloucester Cathedral before evensong on Sunday. The visit was a part of the Duke’s “Cathedrals in Pilgrimage” plans to go to cathedrals across the country. The Duchess is Patron of the Cathedral Music Trust
