Trouble in church (1): Wakefield flares again
NewsThe Anglican cathedral which lost its last music director amid allegations of bullying, has suspended three choristers.
A respected parishioner informs slippedisc.com that her grandson, 13, has ‘decided to give up his chorister duties due to victimisation and a toxic culture at Wakefield Cathedral’.
Other sources report:
– A boy has been suspended under investigation and not told what he’s done wrong (something to do with kissing Jesus’s feet on Good Friday, we hear).
– The boy’s carers have now been ‘missed off emails’ and told they are not relevant.
– The choir have mixed the treble lines because of falling numbers and is unable to do services with only boys or only girls.
– More than two thirds of choristers have left. Not one has joined since the start of 2023.
– The Dean, who has overall safeguarding responsibility for all members of the cathedral, is not answering complaints.
– The new Precentor claims to know nothing about suspensions, although pastoral responsibility for choir members falls to her.
– The Chief Operating Officer has left after a year in post.
– The Safeguarding Panel of the Diocese of Leeds are investigating the cathedral’s “safeguarding failures” using their most senior staff.
Wakefield Cathedral used to be a heartening building in which one felt appreciated, welcome and found a great serenity in. We worshipped there for many years but have, of late times, found no reason to go back. Lacking any compassion or (dare one say it) Christian values.
One might assume that they have had bad luck, but the ongoing farcical situations unfolding can only suggest that the whole place needs a clean.
What good have they done over the past few years? We ask ourselves for a logical reason, but the only reason we can find is that the staff (lay and ordained) are coerced into such a toxic environment. It tells truth that a thirteen year old boy treble can see that too.
No bad luck, just total mismanagement, wrong staff abusing their power, and a director of music allegedly appointed by the Dean & Chapter after pushing out the last fine director, Ed Jones, and sacking the Precentor for ten years of any ministry. No auditions, no job adverts, just a coronation of the No 2. God help the No 2 woman organist. who left Lincoln to join the poison chalice of Wakefield. A child allegedly asks the director of music the signicance as to why they had to kiss the feet of Jesus at the Veneration the Cross on Good Friday, and he got suspended for being inquisitive as the director probably didn’t why so got shown up and authority undermined by an intelligent question by a child!!! Two more choristers suspended for lesser ‘crimes’. Ugh??? Where’s the love of God in all this? Locked out!
Just had a quick glance at the reviews on WF Cathedral and they’re pretty fine. 4.7 out of 5 and nearly 700 reviews. Trip Advisor the same. From what you’re saying it sounds like you’ve had an unfortunate time there, maybe more isolated than your comment suggests, as Wakefield Cathedral very much appears to be a well liked and appreciated sanctuary.
As for the 13 year old boy – well I guess you’d have to know that person and maybe also the people within the cathedral to be able to ascertain whether or not you have the full facts, because from my experience, which granted is limited, choirs don’t remove singers without an exceptional reason.
Oh of course. Good point. I knew the Catholic Church should have based their investigation of Child Abuse on Google reviews and trip advisor stars.
Apologies, I must have missed the part about Child Abuse. Where does it mention that in the article?
My reference to TA and the the Wakefield Cathedral reviews was as a response to the initial suggestion that the place is failing in it’s Christian message and lacks compassion – something which the reviews appear to contradict.
Reviews do not always reflect the experience of those in the system, rather visitors to the building or services, many of which are very poorly attended apart from special occasions
They aren’t just singers they are harmless children and, yes, we do know who they are!
The standard of behaviour expected fell short when another chorister was ridiculed by a chorister for Good Friday reverence. Reverence is to be respected and the sanction given is to be commended.
While we realise there’s always two sides to the story – the allegation (four weeks after suspension) mentioned nothing of ridicule or behaviour. “Asked why he had kissed Jesus’s feet” was the information given in the ‘investigation’.
Either way, I’m not sure that it’s a proper way to treat a child, or encourage people to learn about “why” people kiss the feet of Jesus. Obviously religious views should be protected and rightfully so, but I don’t know why a child’s inquisitive nature is condemned. What a way to ensure people of no faith stay away from your place. And that could be why numbers have become so low.
Still, if you think that is an acceptable way to treat children, I feel sorry for your son and daughter in the choir.
You weren’t at the service, and you didn’t see the chorister ridicule another chorister for venerating the cross. You can be inquisitive without being derogatory. If a child cannot learn that at the age of 13, they have no place in a choir.
You have no idea what went on! An investigation is ongoing at the highest level, not by armchair Christians on here!
And you’re in a position to verify the sanction are you? What was it?
Even when the appalling behaviour of the lay clerks isn’t sanctioned? Mocking a server during service. Observed by some of the congregation and they obviously haven’t been suspended pending investigation. Double standards, could be construed as bullying.
There is no care for these young people. Refused toilet breaks, not always given water, never thanked and expected to do more and more. Even choristers whose voices broke 6 months to a year ago and can no longer sing treble are made to stand there and are not looked after or moved to the youth choir. The excuse given is they are too young but others have moved at a similar age. Why? For numbers? Other complaints have been put in writing and either ignored or brushed over, even by choristers. Choristers should also not be in tears and totally disillusioned after rehearsals. They were given a love of singing and choral music and it is being completely ruined by a toxic and uncaring environment.
Welby as useless Archbish of nothing, is intent in destroying the role of music and it’s music leaders in the church by allowing and condoning his unchristian senior clerical managers to get rid of top professional musicians without question in a management style he used when a manager in the oil industry where he came from (and should return to!)
It’s a conspiracy to dumb down music in worship.
Look at all the dedicated and brilliant church musicians who have left the church due to senior management bullying and disrespect over the last 2 years to work out this theory.
Like many, I trained to a high level giving my time and energies to the church, only 40 years later to be disrespected and told to stop trying to maintain acceptable standards of choral music. so I did, and don’t miss the hypocritical services in buildings where toxic mismanagement clothed in the name of Christ is allowed to function – just, through the toxicity of most dysfunctional senior clerics at the expense of falling standards and expectations of music in places of worship.
Good music led by professional musicians in churches has had it’s day!
Wakefield is not alone in this plan to dumb down led by our two unmusical Archbishops!
The two Archbishops are not unmusical at all and appreciate good music. Stephen Cottrell has just led the Faith & Worship weekend from York, which I watched on line, and striving for the best. Justin Welby is far from musically illiterate. When it comes to cathedrals, it is the dean and the precentor who are in charge. Even the bishop has to tread carefully on their authority. Nothing wrong with choral music or the treatment of kids in either Ripon or Bradford. They both have very fine priests there who just love kids, having got kids and grandkids of their own, and also fine directors of music with great collaboration among them, and the kids are affirmed positively. They are the other two cathedrals in the trio in the diocese of Leeds, so it’s not everywhere, and Leeds Minster is extremely fine but then don’t have children to deal with, but priest and director work really well. Wakefield has been a nightmare in that trio of cathedrals, and the one on the more ‘high church’ side of Anglicanism.
It sounds like a very unChristian and unkind way to behave towards young people. Sometimes, toxicity in an organisation breeds because the top of that organisation doesn’t recognise it and when it goes unchallenged it grows. Or, a small group of narcissistic individuals convene together to exert influence. Either way, it sounds as though Jesus wouldn’t approve of the actions of the Cathedral, kissing his feet or not.
It needs looking into – ‘authority of church’ (pastoral) disguising ‘abuse’ ( behaviour of staff) in a ‘religious’ context. Misguided interpretation of roles and nature of worship – possibly? Negativity over change of aims and this church’s function in community context? All needs looking into.
This piece is spreading rumours about a child who is (1) identifiable and (2) probably experiencing something deeply upsetting and confusing.
You should know better.
Agreed. However, the wider issues seem to be that there is a culture of victimisation and lack of care for the chorister. Clearly this is unacceptable and should be exposed and dealt with.