Exposing the issue of bullying in the Church

Dear Editor, Your article on bullying in the Church is welcome for its honesty about this disturbing problem (IC 11/06/2015).

I am a recent convert to the Church from Anglicanism and I have had experience of bullying at the hands of two clergymen in my former denomination first in England and, later, in Northern Ireland. The first occasion was many years ago when I was an undergraduate. The bully in question was a college chaplain; his bullying was purely verbal and psychological in nature. On that occasion the matter was dealt with by my college tutor (not a man who had any Church connections ); the bullying ceased after my complaint. However, the chaplain became a bishop over two decades later – a promotion which casts doubt on the effectiveness of appointment procedures in his Church.

In the second (far more recent) case the bully was a clergyman of the Church of Ireland.

In this case the bullying took the form not only of verbal abuse, but also of physical intimidation. No action at all was taken by the authorities after I made a very detailed written statement even though I am aware that at least one previous complaint had been made about this man’s conduct.

I must make it clear that since my conversion I have experienced only graciousness and kindness on the part of Catholic clergy. Cradle Catholics may sometimes complain about their priests, but my experience of clergy in the Church is that, unlike some of their Anglican counterparts, they are not arrogant, aggressive and worldly.

Yours etc.,

C.D.C. Armstrong,

Belfast,

Co. Antrim.