| Author | Message | ||
     bettyboop Junior Member Username: bettyboop Post Number: 49 Registered: 5-2006 Posted From: 69.205.224.127 |
To my fellow survivors - It has been brought to my attention today that in order for FF to be held accountable by the Anglican Church for the abuse he inflicted, formal complaints against FF must be filed with the Anglican Church, Diocese of Ontario. The Anglican Church's stance is that if no complaints have been officically filed, they cannot take any action against FF. As someone that was abused at gcc, I can honestly admit that I have not filed a complaint, and had never thought to do so with the Anglican church. We often just thought of him as as a headmaster. In reality, FF used his position as an ordained Anglican priest (he wore his collar nearly every day) to weild a significant amount of power over both staff and students. He was more than just a headmaster. In his eyes, he was the voice of God, and that's what many of us were taught to believe. Because of this, he kept us silent and got away with child abuse. Here's where we can do something, and it will only take a couple of minutes. Please call Wayne Varley, the Executive Officer of the Diocese of Ontario at 613-544-4774, ext. 31, in Kingston, ON. to inquire about filing a formal complaint against FF. Please do this! It doesn't matter that FF is no longer a headmaster, or even a Parish Priest. He's still a priest, and he has not been held accountable for the discpicable things he did (and encouraged others to do) to innocent children. The time is now! If we band together and start calling, I believe we can make a difference. | ||
| familylove New member Username: familylove Post Number: 5 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 65.95.172.93 |
To Betty Boop: You are absolutely right. Every student who was abused, controlled, intimidated, mind controlled etc. needs to follow through and notify the Diocese of Ontarion and I believe, the head of the OPP, and Bishop Mason. I trust in your strength as a unit to step up and help call for an inquiry and subsequent charging under the criminal act of FF and some of staff. Go for it and start healing. | ||
| tomrossini Junior Member Username: tomrossini Post Number: 32 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 71.238.4.31 |
wvarley@ontario.anglican.ca To the Ven. Wayne Varley and The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz Please consider this email a formal complaint re: Rev. Charles Farnsworth and Right Rev Peter Mason. My name is Thomas Rossini and I was a student at Grenville Christian College (GCC) from 1985-1989. During my years at GCC, our headmaster was the Rev. Charles Farnsworth and the Right Rev. Peter Mason was the Anglican Bishop of the region. This was made quite clearly during an advertisement / article about the school in one of my parents Christian publications. This impression was further confirmed by services performed in accordance with the Anglican faith, as well as Compline prayer services. As I am sure you are now well aware, on August 31st an article in the Globe and Mail described allegations of cult practices and a myriad of abuses at GCC. I can not speak for everyone but only from my experiences. On several occasions, I was removed from my bed in the middle of the night and was lectured by various members of the staff that I was a sinner and that I needed to repent for my actions and ask the Lord my God for saving grace. I was punished repeatedly for days on end for not conforming to the ways of the scripture. This punishment usually included undertaking physical tasks which was called discipline, repeatedly being ridiculed by my classmates and kept from talking to anyone except for a staff member. Also, during my stay at GCC, I was caught being in a relationship with another student at the school. I was immediately placed on discipline and subsequently I was paddled 15 times in Father Farnsworth’s office. It was not until I fell to my knees, had tears coming from my eyes, did I realize or feel abandoned. I was scared for my life. I had the fear of God instilled in my brain for years. Every action, every word and every gesture was closely scrutinized while at GCC. I was scared and I feared for my own safety and well being as well as for other classmates. My thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs were being controlled. I felt at times like a puppet. I was vulnerable. From what I understand, there are 4 forms of battering - sexual, physical, emotional/psychological and destruction. Also, the definition of abuse is Abuse is an attempt to control the behavior of another person. It is a misuse of power which uses the bonds of intimacy, trust and dependency to make the victim vulnerable. It pains me to inform you that these are only some of the actions that have occurred to me at GCC but I hope that the end has come with the closing of GCC. This email is a formal complaint to the Anglican Church of Canada and that the Anglican Church of Canada reviews this information as well as any other complaints it has received and immediately holds these men accountable for their acts. These men need to be investigated immediately and if the investigation shows probable cause then the Ontario Provincial Police and Attorney General Michael Bryant and is office be notified immediately. Sincerely, and Respectfully Submitted Thomas Rossini (Message edited by Tomrossini on September 05, 2007) | ||
| sam83 New member Username: sam83 Post Number: 18 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 74.121.18.151 |
This approach will be painful for most. But a formal complaint will give all of us the most definitive, appropriate and effective closure. Well done, Tom. Congrats for taking the high road. | ||
| bettyboop Junior Member Username: bettyboop Post Number: 50 Registered: 5-2006 Posted From: 69.205.224.127 |
Thanks so much for putting this letter together, Tom, and for posting it. Very well said. I'm working on mine right now. | ||
| gayatgcc Member Username: gayatgcc Post Number: 68 Registered: 7-2007 Posted From: 76.66.37.28 |
BettyB ... I'm working on mine too! I have never had such a hard time putting something on paper! I played the pipe organ for the Anglican Dio. for nearly 15 years. I suffered abuse at my church as well. F**k! Did I have have a "Molest Me" sign on my back when I was a kid? GayAtGcc. | ||
| bettyboop Member Username: bettyboop Post Number: 51 Registered: 5-2006 Posted From: 69.205.224.127 |
Just as addendum to my first email re: filing formal complaints. If you'd like to send an email to the Bishop instead of, or in addition to calling, that would be awesome too. Send to: Rt. Rev. George Bruce (Bishop of Ontario) - gbruce@ontario.anglican.ca and also to the Venerable Wayne Varley, Diocesan Executive Officer at wvarley@ontario.anglican.ca | ||
| tomrossini Junior Member Username: tomrossini Post Number: 33 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 71.238.4.31 |
Well after reading the globe from this AM... I hope that this email I sent will be considered a formal complaint | ||
| rozpriceenglish Intermediate Member Username: rozpriceenglish Post Number: 105 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 172.164.107.250 |
Tom - wow. Question. Does an email get the same weight/consideration as a written, signed letter? Just wondering. | ||
| bluesman Junior Member Username: bluesman Post Number: 36 Registered: 5-2006 Posted From: 68.83.79.247 |
After reading this morning's article in the Globe and Mail, I would just like to put the Anglican Church's position in perspective. If as they say, they had no canonical ties with Grenville Christian College, that is of less importance than the fact that they did not oversee properly the person that they ordained as a priest in their diocese. Secondly, to say that they did not know that students were subjected to abuse is a somewhat weak argument in their defense, as that should have been their immediate concern as it is their responsibility as overseers to look into the impact of any inappropriate behaviour on the part of their ordained priests. And I remember sitting in the Kingston office discussing such misbehavior. I would also like to comment that I do not remember ever being instructed that a formal complaint would need to be made or what the process for that would be. I suppose I was foolish to think that expressing my concern would have been sufficient for them to follow through. | ||
| gcc_1981_grad New member Username: gcc_1981_grad Post Number: 19 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 74.15.67.159 |
After reading the Globe and Mail this morning I have decided that I will not be attending the closing ceremonies on September 29. I graduated from the school 26 years ago. Because of the environment of the school I never kept any connections alive with the school or with former classmates. I never placed the school on my resume or let anyone know that I was one of its graduates. I was ashamed of being involved with the place. I went on to have a successful career and life. However I have never been able to heal from the scars that the school created. Last week when the first article appeared in the Globe and Mail, I experienced a release of emotion that was very intense. I wept a great deal with a feeling of joy mixed with a feeling of sickness for all that has happened while I was there. I connected with former students and was able to talk of the experience freely. A lot of what was said was about the hurt and abuse that we experienced. It was a wonderful feeling to know that in fact I am not “wrong”, and I am not in need of “correction” as the school so eloquently put it so many years ago. I believe that the former students that I connected with experience a similar feeling. I wanted to go to the closing ceremony to see everyone from an “honest” place. It was good to know that a portion of the “establishment” - the Globe and Mail published stories that gave credit to these feelings. Now I suspect, based on the article from this morning’s paper that a great majority of the people attending the closing ceremony will harbor a belief that the school was in fact a good place – a place where children could go and learn how to become leaders based in the “correct” understanding of humanity. I do not think that I could stomach that experience. So I will not be attending. | ||
| dignityquest Junior Member Username: dignityquest Post Number: 28 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 38.116.200.40 |
Of course, I respect your decision, but please know there will be many of us attending, who, while we may recogonize that there were people there who were good and tried to help kids, are deeply aware of the abuse and totally committed to telling the story and supporting eachother. Also, my feeling from today's article was more that they didn't want to face it, rather than they agreed things were fine. regards, DQ | ||
| jungle_john New member Username: jungle_john Post Number: 6 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 74.12.159.104 |
I am a funeral director in Toronto and am very close with many Anglican clergy and took the time to call one this morning. He has been reading the G&M articles. While talking to him, I asked "How does one file a formal complaint?" The process in the Anglican church is that a complaint must be filed with the Canon Pastor. He is responisble for discipline in the church. The Canon Pastor for Brockville is Rev. Canon Michael Caswell. He is rector of St. George's Cathedral in Kingston. I would start with him and inquire about the process for lodging a formal complaint. His email address is mcaswell@ontario.anglican.ca. The telephone number of the cathedral is 613-548-4617. I will be taking the time to call him today. | ||
| wagener84 Member Username: wagener84 Post Number: 71 Registered: 8-2007 Posted From: 199.214.192.50 |
Hey John....Im 42 years old, suffer from high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression, ED,...etc. Do you offer alumni discounts?? lol.....kidding about the ED folks ;) | ||
| jungle_john New member Username: jungle_john Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 74.12.159.104 |
Well, I called and left a message for Canon Caswell. I'll let you know when he calls me back. Let's see how long it takes. | ||
| questiongrrl New member Username: questiongrrl Post Number: 16 Registered: 5-2006 Posted From: 67.70.68.239 |
apparently the Rev. Canon Michael Caswell is NOT the person to contact in this case. please direct all complaints or allegations to the Rt. Rev. George Bruce and/or the Venerable Wayne Varley (see above). |
