PARIS (FRANCE)
La Croix International [Montrouge Cedex, France]
November 11, 2024
At their plenary assembly in Lourdes, French bishops postponed a new system for adult victims of church sexual abuse until March. “The principle is accepted,” but “we still have work to do,” admitted Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims.
The French bishops have delayed presenting their system for adult victims of sexual abuse until their next meeting, which is scheduled for March. The decision was announced by Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims, president of the Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) November 10 in Lourdes. “While the principle has been accepted, we see that we still have work to do before deciding on the implementation modalities,” he said in his closing speech at the CEF Plenary Assembly, assuring that “the five months that separate us from the March assembly will allow us to clarify the points that remain uncertain.”
In March, the bishops agreed on the principle of a “listening and guidance” system for victims, which they hoped to present by November. “I understand that victims may feel disappointed and hurt by this delay, and I assure them of our determination to move forward,” said Archbishop de Moulins-Beaufort.
During their autumn meeting, the bishops “discussed at length” “two possible paths,” each with “its advantages and disadvantages,” he added, without providing details. According to sources close to several bishops, the options involve either establishing a single centralized body or assigning the mission to local structures within the ecclesiastical provinces.
Archbishop de Moulins-Beaufort assured that “we want to open a path of recognition and solid and lasting reparation” and ensure that the priests involved “take responsibility.” For this reason, “the first path must be that of civil justice, if possible,” with recourse to ecclesial justice.
In cases where the perpetrator is deceased, or the facts are time-barred, “we cannot create a separate legal order from that of our country,” he noted.
There remains the path of restorative justice, but “we know it is not free from criticism” and “we must be certain of the competence” of those entrusted with this mission and their ability to “make solid, incontestable decisions,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on the revelations of sexual assaults involving Abbé Pierre, Archbishop de Moulins-Beaufort highlighted how “upset and destabilized” the bishops had been. The church archives “clearly show that his violent behavior towards women had been known after his trip to the United States in 1955” and that “measures had been taken.” However, “all of this ended up being forgotten,” he added.