Hospital arrests follow sanitation worker’s death
A CHRISTIAN sanitation worker, Irfan Masih, in Sindh, Pakistan, who fell ill after cleaning a manhole, died on 1 June after being refused treatment by duty doctors at Civil Hospital, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported this week. Sanitation jobs are considered “unclean” and are often reserved for religious minorities, it says. Mr Masih was in a critical condition when he arrived at the hospital covered in sludge. Doctors insisted that his family must clean his body before they gave treatment because he was “napaak”, or unclean. Three hospital employees have been arrested. The staff allege that Mr Masih was already dead when he was admitted.
New Bishop of Dunedin served in England
THE Revd Dr Steven Benford has been appointed Bishop of Dunedin, New Zealand, it has been announced. He worked as a doctor in New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s, was ordained in the UK in 2000, and was an assistant curate in Northallerton and Kirby Sigston while working as a doctor at the Friarage Hospital. He left medicine in 2014 to become Vicar of St Joseph the Worker, Northolt, in London, after ten years at St Luke’s, York. He will be consecrated in St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin, in September.
Safe Church Commission members announced
THE membership of the new Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission has been announced. It is to be chaired by Garth Blake SC. It was set up last year in response to abuse cases at the request of the Anglican Consultative Council. Mr Blake is the convener of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Network, and chairs the Anglican Church of Australia’s Professional Standards Commission. He said: “The Commission has come from a deep desire within the Communion to fulfil the biblical mandate for the safety of all people, especially children, young people and vulnerable adults.” Among its members, Caroline Venables represents England and the Ven. Christopher Smith represents Wales. www.anglicannews.org