National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
This email follows on from my earlier message issued on 27th September 2018
Next Monday, 22 October 2018, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, will rise in the National Parliament in Canberra to deliver a National Apology to people who as children were sexually abused in religious and non-religious institutions. Hundreds of victims of such abuse and their families, friends and supporters are expected to attend.
This landmark apology is a major outcome of the five-year-long Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Commission delivered its final report to the Governor General in December 2017. The Commission identified the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) among the churches which need to acknowledge their past failures to provide children with adequate protection from sexual abuse in their institutions.
Many of those who will be present, and to whom the Prime Minister will direct his apology, do not want church leaders or their representatives at Parliament House on the day of the Apology. The distress associated with child sexual abuse is very often deep and life-long. Out of respect, I am asking that the congregations and ministries of the LCA use this opportunity to mark the occasion among our local communities. The recent General Convention in Sydney took the first step in acknowledging the National Apology by more than once pausing in repentance and sorrow for the harm done to people by abuse and the institutional failure to respond adequately to protect those at risk of harm.
The LCA’s Commission on Worship has also prepared worship resources acknowledging the National Apology for use in worship this coming Sunday 21 October, the day before the Apology is delivered in Canberra. I encourage pastors and congregations to plan thoughtfully to include these resources in worship services this Sunday. They also form an appendix to this eNews.
We don’t yet know the exact text of the Prime Minister’s apology, but as Christians we can agree that saying sorry to people we failed to protect is absolutely the right thing to do. Our responsibility goes beyond personal innocence or guilt. We have a shared responsibility as a nation-wide community. The church is its people and congregations, and under Christ we need to confess that in the past we have failed many of God’s little ones, and commit ourselves to doing better as a church and as individuals.
Earlier this year, through the (former) General Church Council, the LCA signed on to the Commonwealth Government’s National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced child sexual abuse in institutional settings. At that time I wrote in an eNews, ‘the LCA is acknowledging the wrongs done to those who have experienced child sexual abuse in our church, and making a commitment to support them. This action is consistent with the commitment made by our General Synod in 2015 to care for and protect children while engaged in church activities.’ The scheme will receive applications and determine appropriate redress over a ten year period. We are pleased to participate in this scheme. It allows us not only to say sorry but to do sorry as well.
I encourage you, as you are able, to watch the telecast of the National Apology on the morning of Monday 22 October.
Prayer
God of true love and healing, we pray that the Prime Minister will speak the right words for this occasion, and that his words will be well received. We give thanks for the work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, which uncovered so many crimes against children and gave us cause for shame and repentance. Help us now to joyfully take the opportunities before us to support people harmed in Lutheran institutions and to improve our child protection, and to follow Jesus’ teachings and example more closely.
We pray especially:
- that all people who have been betrayed and sexually abused can find help to flourish in life—to love, trust and find joy—in spite of their bad experiences, and for all who offer such help;
- for the families and friends of people who have been abused, seen and experienced the harmful impact on them firsthand, and pursued justice with them or on their behalf;
- that the loving actions of Christian believers might help draw people alienated from church and faith because of sexual abuse back into Christian communities and a living hope in Christ our Saviour;
- for willingness on the part of Christians throughout Australia to give gladly and generously to support redress for people sexually abused as children;
- for the workers in the LCA’s Professional Standards Department and for the Bishops as they shape the church’s response to the problem of child sexual abuse and as they take the lead in responding to complaints of abuse in Lutheran institutions;
- and that Lutheran schools, youth camps, child care and aged care facilities can promote a culture of respect, decency and caring concern for all, especially those most vulnerable.
Pastor John Henderson
Bishop, Lutheran Church of Australia
Monday 15th October 2018
Special Worship Resources for Sunday 21 October
You can also check later in the week for material on the LCA Worship Planning Page
Tomorrow morning, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, will rise in the National Parliament in Canberra to deliver a National Apology to people who were sexually abused as children in religious and non-religious institutions.
This landmark apology is a major outcome of the 5-year-long Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Commission identified the Lutheran Church of Australia among the churches that need to acknowledge their past failures to provide children with adequate protection from sexual abuse in their institutions.
To help us acknowledge the National Apology as a community of Christian believers, our worship today will include special prayers and a time of reflection and repentance.
Psalm 34
I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed are those who take refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers them from them all.
We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
A time of reflection and repentance
We acknowledge the harm suffered by victims of sexual abuse by pastors, other people in positions of trust, and members of the Lutheran Church of Australia and the Lutheran synods that preceded it.
Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have failed to always shine your light.
Have mercy and forgive us.
Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have failed to always care for and protect children and other vulnerable people.
Have mercy and forgive us.
Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have failed to always speak up when we have seen or suspected wrongdoing against those who have no voice.
Have mercy and forgive us.
We reflect in silence …
… as we recall the harm suffered by victims of abuse, who were robbed of their innocence, whose trust was betrayed, whose potential was damaged
(silence)
… as we think about them as real people: little children, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers
(silence)
… as we think of the damage caused to their lives, then and now
(silence)
… as we pray for healing and help for them, and for us.
(silence)
Lord Jesus Christ, we have sinned in ignorance.
We have sinned in weakness.
We have sinned through our own conscious choices
and through our failures.
Lord Jesus Christ, we are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you.
Grant that we may serve you in newness of life. To the glory of your name.
Amen.
Prayers about child sexual abuse in our Church and our commitment to respond with meaningful support.
We pray for people who have been abused while in our care, particularly if they are children, or were children at the time of the abuse.
Lord, in your mercy …
Hear our prayer.
We pray for forgiveness for the wrongs we have done to people who should have been able to trust us, and that you will help us to care for them now in ways that will bring them healing.
Lord, in your mercy …
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the work of your Holy Spirit in giving us faith, convicting us of sin, and breathing in us the gift of new life, that we may discern how to work with those among us who have offended and confessed their offence, and learn how to give them the help they need to change their behaviours.
Lord, in your mercy …
Hear our prayer.
We pray that you will help us to do better, and that our church will always be a safe place for everyone, especially for those who are most vulnerable.
Lord, in your mercy …
Hear our prayer.
The LCA acknowledges with thanks the permission of the Australian Salvation Army to adapt parts of its ‘A time for repentance’ liturgy prepared for the time of the Apology.