From Bourque.com(to access, click on "Discuss" immediately following the headlines)A move by the U.S. Episcopal church this week to stave off an Anglican schism is already on shaky ground, with neither liberals nor conservatives happy about the church's decision to go slow on gay rights.
"The Episcopal church is self-destructing," Pittsburgh Bishop Bob Duncan told the Star yesterday.
Nola-------------------------
The Ontario Provincial Police yesterday began a formal criminal investigation into allegations of abuse of students at the now closed Grenville Christian College in Eastern Ontario.
The chief investigating officer, Detective Inspector Brian Haggith, also asked former students for access to the private Facebook Internet site where they have been discussing their experiences at the school for the past several weeks. Former student Tyler Holmes, the administrator of the Facebook group site, gave them access.
OPP spokeswoman Sergeant Kristine Rae said the police were appealing to anyone with knowledge of wrongdoing at the school - which closed in July - to contact them.
For the past several days, the OPP have been conducting what they called a "review" of allegations of physical, psychological and sexual abuse at the school, near Brockville on the St. Lawrence River.
Sgt. Rae said the police have now interviewed two witnesses and want "any former student alleging criminal conduct" to call them at 613-925-4221.
The police have named no suspects.
The allegations extend back to the late 1970s. Former students and staff are spread across Canada and the United States.
Meanwhile, Bishop George Bruce, Anglican bishop of the diocese in which the school is located, will conclude his investigation this week into allegations against two priests who were headmasters of the school - Rev. Charles Farnsworth and Rev. Gordon Mintz.
In interviews with The Globe and Mail, the two priests have denied any wrongdoing and have said that allegations of mistreatment of students at the school are without substance.
Bishop Bruce has interviewed more than 20 students and at least one former senior teacher.
After he completes his interviews he will present his findings to the two priests and ask for their response. He will then decide whether to bring priests and former students together in an attempt at reconciliation or refer the priests to a church court. Only half a dozen ecclesiastical courts have been convened in the last century and a half.
One former student has made a formal complaint about Bishop Bruce's predecessor, retired bishop Peter Mason, to the senior Anglican archbishop of Ontario.
Anglican authorities have said they had no jurisdiction over the school but do have jurisdiction over the priests who worked there.
After interviewing several former students, Bishop Bruce suggested to two of them that they might consider contacting police.
Grenville Christian College had an elite reputation among Ontario private schools, charging up to $35,000 annually and listing former lieutenant-governors, a senator and a Canadian diplomat among its patrons.
All but one or two members of the Grenville staff swore what were called "oblate vows" of obedience to the community's leaders.
Former students have told of being held down and beaten with wooden objects, sexually harassed and subjected to psychological humiliation.
The Community of Jesus and the Grenville school staff followed negation of the self as a path to unity with God. Students say they were regularly subjected to harsh discipline for being "haughty" and girls were called sluts, whores and "bitches in heat" because they tempted men.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070927.GRENVILLE27/TPStory/Education
Nola-----------------------
Deliberately misinterpret & mischaracterize the meaning of Christ for their own warped ideas.
They're no better than bunch of goons.
Columbo------------------------
The Canadian branch of the Anglican Church refuses to face up to the untold huge number of Canadians sexually abused by their priests.
Like lemmings running to the precipice, the pending Canadian lawsuits to make amends to these Victims should erase every tangible asset the Church owns in our country.
... den of pedophile priests!
One set of Victims' lives destroyed from just one small Canadian town is recounted at:
http://gpkvictims.blogspot.com/
Of interest on that blog ... there is a time clock set starting at the date one Victim brave enough to "come out" wrote the Anglican Bishop of Montreal for answers to questions that have haunted him for almost half a century.
So far it is 320 days since the Bishop has refused to reply!
Read the questions and be amazed.
Reggie---------------------------
Well, they're a copy of the RC church ... so I guess they copied them more faithfully than we knew.
Nola---------------------------
Are Priests not the absolute worst kind of pedophile?
In the eyes of a child they are beyond reproach, they represent God and what is right according to the Bible ... and so they surrender their bodies to these filthy men.
Canada is FULL of these filthy pigs using white clerical collars to destroy lives and yet our politicians STILL have not ordered a full coast to coast inquiry with resulting charges.
What is going on? Why are they being protected? Why is it being left up to the Victims who simply do not have the courage or pecuniary means to take on the establishment of the Church?
Reggie------------------------
This used to be shushed up...because it was thot to be one 'individual instance'...or an outright lie and the victim got blamed!
Suddenly people are talking on the web...and people now talk about things that used to be considered 'shameful'...which at one time was pretty much everything to do with sex!
So I guess they discover each other...and that it wasn't ONE instance, and NOT their fault...and they have an ad hoc support group
"Our Age"--------------------------
Good Point
A Royal Commission on pedophilia in general and, more specifically, in the church - any church or religious organization or its affiliates.
Columbo---------------------------
Other groups too: Scouts and coaches and so on...
Anywhere kids are dependent on adults, and look to them for authority...which is pretty much everywhere...since we can't count on adults to have any 'protective human instinct' towards children
Nola---------------------------
So why not make THAT an election issue?
Would Harpwer agree to start a commission.
One would think he would ... because aren't his children at the "age of risk".
How DO we make it an election issue?
...... BUT, then again
Consider there are SO many pedophiles they may even be a silent majority ans squash this outright.
.... silent majority?
Just ask how many women have been sexually victimized!
Wow, lots to consider and discuss here ....
Reggie---------------------------
I don't think anybody would object to a commission...except maybe on the grounds it wouldn't accomplish anything except studies and talk.
Nola
Walter Bockus, Pedophile Priest
