The Archbishop of Canterbury has apologized after being accused of making light-hearted comments about his resignation in serious damage to the protection in the Church of England.
In his final speech in the House of Lords on Thursday, Justin Welby referred to a 14th-century beheading that drew laughter from some peers and suggested “if you pity anyone, pity my poor diary secretary” who saw weeks and months of work “disappear in a cloud of resignation notices” .
The speech was criticized by a bishop who said she was “deeply disturbed” by the language used and by a victim of abuse who said it was “deaf”.
Welby announced last month that he was resigning from his leading role in the church “in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse” after Makin review.
The independent review concluded that John Smith – believed to be the most persistent serial abuser linked to the church – could have faced justice if Welby had formally reported him to police in 2013.
On Friday, Welby said he would like to “wholeheartedly apologize for the pain” caused by his farewell speech in the House of Lords, which was made during a debate on housing and homelessness.
“I understand that my words – the things I said and the things I failed to say – have caused further suffering to those who have been traumatized and continue to be traumatized by the horrific abuse of John Smith and by the far-reaching consequences of other perpetrators of violence.
“It is not intended to ignore the experiences of survivors or to trivialize the situation – and I am very sorry that I did.
“The fact remains that I take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and traumatic period after 2013. and the harm it caused to the survivors.
“I continue to feel a deep sense of shame at the Church of England’s historic failures to safeguard.”
Welby had indicated in his speech that the results of the review required a “head to roll”.
A victim of Smith’s abuse, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was “horrified” by the speech, adding: “I’ve never met anyone so deaf.”
“He resigned in shame, burdened by the Makin review with ‘moral and personal responsibility’ and all he can do is joke with the spinning heads.”
The Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the only bishop to publicly call for Welby’s resignation last month, said she had received “several messages from across my diocese expressing dismay at the Archbishop’s speech” and that she was “deeply alarmed’ by language ‘head should have rolled’ in the speech.
