wfn.org | GAC receives abuse report

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7446 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

28-September-2002
02372

GAC receives abuse report

Panel confirms maltreatment of missionary children in Congo

by Alexa Smith

LOUISVILLE - The General Assembly Council (GAC) was told Saturday that its
executive committee had received a report concluding that "a significant
number of missionary children in the Congo" were victims of physical and
sexual abuse at the hands of a former missionary for the Presbyterian Church
(USA).

The 173-page report, which will become public next week after survivors have
been notified, also proposes 30 steps to be taken to prevent such abuse in
the future.

The report was written by an Independent Committee of Inquiry (ICI) created
by the executive committee in 2000 to investigate charges of abuse of
missionary children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)
between 1945 and 1978 by Presbyterian missionaries including the late Rev.
William Pruitt.

None of the documents produced by the ICI includes the names of survivors.

PC(USA) officials have scheduled a press conference on the matter at the
Presbyterian Center here for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Eight women made abuse allegations against Pruitt in Grace Presbytery. While
the charges were under investigation, Pruitt died, which officially ended the
investigation, in accordance with provisions of the PC(USA) constitution.

The Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD) steering committee later asked the
GAC to form an independent group, "essentially pastoral in nature," to help
survivors of the abuse and to restore the "well-being" of the larger
Christian community and the "integrity" of the denomination.

The ICI's charge was not judicial, but it was asked to examine the PC(USA)'s
"practices and policies" related to abuse.

"When you receive the report, you will read the committee's inescapable
conclusion that a significant number of missionary children in the Congo were
victims of physical and sexual abuse," the Rev. Barbara Renton, the GAC
chair, told council members. "You will also find that, if our previous
administrators and field personnel acted more aggressively and decisively on
information they had, further abuse might have been averted. 
The Executive Committee felt great pain upon hearing these findings."

Renton said the executive committee had taken several actions earlier in the
week after meeting with the ICI.

She said a letter has been sent to survivors, acknowledging and apologizing
for the "abuses that occurred." She said the council's executive committee is
committed to providing "continuing care" for survivors, and will sponsor a
retreat for them, as the ICI requested.

The executive committee also approved measures to ensure the confidentiality
of the ICI's work, including the sealing of files in Presbyterian Historical
Society archives in Philadelphia.

Renton will appoint a work group to receive the 30 recommendations and bring
action items back to the council over the next year. "It will take us some
time to consider the 30 recommendations and other issues which may come to
light," she said, "but we must act to preserve the integrity of the church."

The committee dismissed the ICI after receiving its report.

Renton said the executive committee met with ICI members on Wednesday, Sept.
25, and is "proud of their work in pursuit of the truth."

"The ICI has done a wonderful job in presenting the dynamics of life in a
mission community, clarifying areas of ambiguity about the abusive
experience, and reflecting on the experience in a way that provides wisdom
and insight," she said. 
"Their work prompts us to examine our policies, practices and support systems
for missionary work. It urges us to implement practices of abuse prevention
so that we can promote healing, justice and renewal within the church. We are
very grateful for their work."

*** For instructions on using this system (including how to UNJOIN this
meeting), send e-mail to mailrequests@ecunet.org
------------------------------------------
Send your response to this article to pcusa.news@pcusa.org

------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send an 'unsubscribe' request to

pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org