Demanding Protection for Investigation Regarding Cathedral Incident
In the quaint town of North Wales, two clergymen from Bangor Cathedral are pulling no punches, demanding an independent investigation after two damning reports cast a shadow on the cathedral's culture and governance.
These reports brought light to a culture where boundaries seemed impalpable and questionable, with inappropriate language routinely tossed around and excessive imbibing commonplace. Uh-oh, this ain't your grandma's church, buddy!
The Rev Dr John Prysor-Jones and the Very Rev Professor Gordon McPhate, the cathedral's esteemed honchos, slam the reports as unsatisfactory, claiming conclusions more reminiscent of gossip over solid facts.
A Church in Wales spokesperson, always the diplomat, said they'll give the matter due deliberation. Fair enough, mate!
Now, let's dive a bit deeper. It all started in early 2025, with leaks exposing two investigations: an internal inquiry by the diocese and another spearheaded by Christian safeguarding agency Thirtyone:eight. The trigger? Cries for help regarding safeguarding concerns so severe, they warranted a statutory serious incident referral to the Charity Commission.
The reports outlined various issues, chief among them insufficient safeguarding measures, With junior staff and kids in the community feeling vulnerable to bullying or abuse. Add to that incidents of inappropriate sexual behavior and other serious safeguarding issues that left people feeling, well, not safe.
Money matters also got a spotlight, with concerns over financial record-keeping and alleged financial improprieties raised. Serious incident reports were even submitted to the Charity Commission—for both safeguarding and financial issues!
The cathedral's leadership, particularly the controversial departure of Canon Sion Rhys Evans, got scrutinized, too. Evans left under a cloud, with whispers about his conduct and financial management swirling around.
The past year saw six serious incident reports sent to the Charity Commission—four related to safeguarding (three wrapped up, one still bubbling) and one financial (resolved in March). The reports, completed at the end of 2024, were published in redacted form, giving us more recommendations than juicy deets.
This led to quite the kerfuffle among the cathedral's congregation, with many upset over the investigation process's lack of transparency. Some even called for the Archbishop of Wales' head, arguing that the ongoing issues have tarnished the Church in Wales' reputation across the country.
Now, an implementation group is working tirelessly toexecute the recommendations, while the hunt for a new Dean continues. The landmark cathedral and its leaders still got plenty on their plates, ‘twixt restoring trust and implementing robust safeguarding and financial controls. C'est la vie!
Investigations into the health-and-wellness of the Church in Wales have uncovered several challenges. These include deficiencies in mental-health recommendations, sexual-health issues, and the need for improved therapies-and-treatments concerning safeguarding and financial management. Restoring trust and implementing new control systems has become a daunting challenge for the cathedral's leadership.
