Tags: Abuse
Ep 54: The Catholic Church and Canada’s residential schools
Posted: Tue, 20th Jul 2021
"Not one single residential school was ever built with a playground. But every single residential school had ample space for a cemetery."
Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School in Lebret, Saskatchewan, was one of the first such schools established by the Canadian government in the 19th century. From the beginning, it was run by the Catholic Church, which was actively involved in the forced removal of indigenous children from their families, in attempts to erase their links to their culture, and in training them up as cheap labour for colonial businesses.
In this episode, Emma Park is joined by the Canadian journalist Kerry Benjoe. Kerry was the first indigenous person to work for the Regina Leader-Post, her city's daily newspaper, and is now Indigenous Storyteller for CBC Saskatchewan. She attended Lebret from the age of 15 to 18, at a time when it had been taken over from the Church by the Star Blanket Cree Nation. She was in the fourth and final generation in her family to do so.
As a journalist, Kerry has spent years gathering stories, often harrowing, from the survivors of the residential schools. She shares some of these stories on the podcast, from humiliation and physical abuse to the loss of childhood. She explains why the recent discovery of graves at Kamloops residential school, also run by the Catholic Church, came as no surprise to the local indigenous community.
Please note that this episode contains distressing material.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
- First Nation announces discovery of 751 unmarked graves near former residential school
- Amid shameful residential-school revelations, I cannot remain a Catholic
- Protest the Pope Campaign uses films to explore its objections to the Pope's visit
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Podcast produced by Emma Park for the National Secular Society (2021). All rights reserved.
Ep 48: Challenging the Jehovah's Witnesses
Posted: Thu, 29th Apr 2021
Lloyd Evans was an elder in the Jehovah's Witnesses, before he left the organisation in 2013. He has since been campaigning to expose its workings to the public.
In this episode, Lloyd speaks to Emma Park about the JWs' history and key beliefs, including their doctrine of refusing blood transfusions, and the practice of 'shunning' people who decide to renounce their religion. He discusses the ways in which the organisation is structured so as to facilitate the concealment of child abuse from external investigation.
Lloyd also argues that there is a pervasive deference to religion, both within the NHS and in British society more generally, that prevents the harm that can be caused by organisations like the JWs from being properly challenged.
Emma is then joined by the NSS's Megan Manson to reflect further on the JWs' influence over NHS policy through their 'hospital liaison committees'. The JWs arguably illustrate the problems with allowing 'the advancement of religion' to qualify an institution as a charity.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Notes
- NHS trusts' cosy relationships with Jehovah's Witness leaders could have tragic consequences
- Religious fundamentalists can't be trusted with child protection
- Frank Cranmer, 'Vicarious liability for rape: Barry Congregation of JWs'
- The Lloyd Evans Channel – ex-JW on YouTube
- Ian McEwan's The Children Act, reviewed by Emma Park
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Ep 18: Remembrance Day | Clerical Abuse
Posted: Mon, 11th Nov 2019
In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by the NSS's Megan Manson and Chris Sloggett to discuss the Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. Is it right that the Church should lead the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph? Does the C of E represent modern Britain? Will Britain continue to remember if the ritual of remembrance is tied up with religion?
Emma then speaks to Keith Porteous Wood, president of the NSS, about the society's campaign to expose institutional abuse in the Catholic Church. Is the Vatican making a genuine effort to tackle clerical abuse? If not, why not? And how far is similar abuse a problem in the Church of England and other religious organisations?
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
The Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday and other ceremonies – NSS view
'Remembrance Sunday should not be dominated by religion' – Dan Snow
'By the Grace of God' shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse
The NSS's submission to the UN Human Rights Council, 18th September 2019
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