SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
David Leask
Chief Reporter
Wednesday 19 March 2014
SCOTLAND’S Catholic Church must change its culture and theology to protect children in its care, according to the Kirk minister asked to review its safeguards.
Dr Andrew McLellan yesterday announced the remit and membership of a new commission to investigate how the church, hit by a succession of scandals at home and abroad, handles abuse.
The former Moderator of the Church of Scotland made it clear he believes his own faith can offer some spiritual and practical solutions on the issue.
Mr McLellan, who is also a former inspector of prisons, admitted he had been surprised to be asked to lead the commission and insisted he had not accepted the job as an “ecumenical adventure”.
Speaking at a launch event in Edinburgh, he said: “I am not here representing the Church of Scotland but my own church has learned a lot about helping parishes to ‘own’ and to love safeguarding.
“That is part of the culture change, which the Catholic Church needs to learn as well.”
The Kirk stalwart also suggested there were new teachings in the Presbyterian faith that could be applied to the Catholic Church which, under Pope Francis, is grappling like never before with historical issues of physical and sexual abuse.
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