Former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, quits priesthood

A former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, has resigned from priesthood over his alleged failure to handle child abuse cases properly.

PUNCH Online reports that a BBC investigation had found that Carey advocated for a priest accused of assaulting teenage girls, David Tudor, to return to the priesthood.

Tudor was banned by the church for five years in the 1980s over the allegations, but Carey later “allowed him to return under supervision”.

In October, Tudor admitted sexual misconduct and was sacked as a priest.

However, in his resignation letter dated December 4, Carey said he wished to surrender his permission to officiate, having been in active ministry since 1962.

The 89-year-old also applauded his wife, Eileen, whose faithfulness and support have been outstanding.

The letter reads, “I wish to surrender my Permission to Officiate.

“I am in my ninetieth year now and have been in active ministry since 1962 when I was made Deacon and then Priested in 1963. It has been an honour to serve in the dioceses of London, Southwell, Durham, Bristol, Bath and Wells, Canterbury and finally Oxford.

“I give thanks to God for his enduring faithfulness but want to recognise the remarkable contribution of Eileen [his wife], whose faithfulness and support has been outstanding.”

Carey’s resignation comes after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, resigned in November over the way he handled separate sexual abuse claims.

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