REIMS (FRANCE)
La Croix International [France]
March 11, 2025
– Interview. During its March 31–April 4 Plenary Assembly, the French Bishops’ Conference will elect a new president to succeed Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort. After six years in office, Archbishop de Moulins-Beaufort reflects on a presidency indelibly marked by the issue of sexual violence in the church.
La Croix: You will complete your second term as president of the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF) at the end of June. What are you feeling?
Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort: We have worked extensively on very painful issues. These six years have opened my mind and my heart. I feel a certain relief in moving on to another phase, in being able to serve the Archdiocese of Reims more fully. However, I do not at all see myself as being relieved of the issue of sexual abuse, which has definitively marked my life and my ministry. This is an evil that must continue to be confronted in the church as well as in society as a whole. The work is far from over.
The shockwave from the publication of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) report on October 5, 2021, was published during your term. How did you experience it?
When I was elected, the CIASE had already begun its work, and we were preparing to receive their report. But it turned out to be of an entirely different nature than what we had anticipated—both in terms of the numbers, the description of the facts, and the quality and depth of the analysis of the phenomenon.
Further reading: The five key points of the Church abuse report in France
I first learned about it during an ad limina visit to Rome in late September 2021. I was able to leave a note for the pope. Then came October 5… What helped me tremendously was that every day in the following month, I encountered what I consider “angels.” People, often strangers, encouraged me in the street, on the subway, at the bakery, and on the phone. I could recount 30 such stories.
In the face of the shock, did you consider resigning?
Never, because this was the task entrusted to me. The members of the Permanent Council of the Bishops’ Conference were very strong; we were well-aligned, which was an immense help. Understanding the extent of sexual violence in the church, but also in humanity as a whole, was a terrible shock. Our generation’s mission is to do everything in our power to confront it.
You quickly used the term “systemic” to describe abuse in the church. Did this point meet with resistance?
There may have been some resistance. However, the most significant moment came in November 2021 with the recognition of the institutional responsibility of the church. I will always carry this memory with me. A press conference was held after we voted to acknowledge this responsibility in Lourdes. Two victims were seated at the back of the room. When I spoke the words “institutional responsibility,” their faces suddenly relaxed. That remains an unforgettable moment for me. This is precisely why we act—to bring relief to victims.
Further reading: New report validates France’s Church sex abuse commission, says top official
Some thought that systemic meant systematic. That is not the case. Systemic means that the way in which the incidents occurred and were made invisible formed a system, like a cancer within our body.
You had already met victims before becoming president of the CEF. What had you learned?
I realized that even when dioceses handled cases properly from a judicial standpoint, they failed to pay attention to victims. We acted as if children would forget as if there would be no lasting consequences for them. However, the intrusion of an adult into a child’s sexual development proves to be utterly devastating.
In these encounters, I discovered the extent of the damage caused, but also the possibility of listening to these individuals, accepting their anger, and forming a genuine relationship. My desire was for all bishops to have the same experience. This happened at the start of the November 2021 Assembly, and we bishops all reached a turning point.
Are there things you wish you had done differently?
In retrospect, we should have handled the case of Bishop Michel Santier differently from the moment of his resignation, with clearer dialogue, especially with the Holy See. That would have spared victims and the faithful from hurt and prevented the loss of trust we experienced in November 2022.
How do you interpret this crisis in light of faith? Where is God in this scandal?
I am convinced that God’s mercy consists precisely in making us capable of facing the evil we commit. In the Bible, it is when the Hebrew people are at their lowest that God lifts them up. The prophets denounce social injustice but also sexual abuse. For the church, which carried this evil—whether unknowingly or by turning a blind eye—this crisis is both a liberation and a necessary step toward being worthy of its mission.
The issues of spiritual abuse and coercion have also emerged. How should they be addressed?
This is a very important point. I see Christian faith as an invitation to spiritual freedom. But when I became a parish priest, I discovered that some Christians—though not all—readily placed themselves in a position of dependence. That was a real warning sign for me. This is what Pope Francis calls clericalism, which is not just about priests or experts but also those seeking a master to follow. We need to move beyond these types of relationships.
As a Christian and a bishop, what spiritual resources have sustained you?
There is what I have received and continue to receive from my family in terms of affection and presence. I am fortunate to still have my parents. Their strength has helped me in difficult moments, even though I have sometimes felt a bit ashamed that, through me, their name was associated with certain scandals.
Further reading: Catholic leader in France says sex abuse is only one of a “multitude of challenges” facing Church
Feeling the esteem of my nieces and nephews also encourages me greatly, especially when the ability of priests to relate to young people is questioned. Additionally, I try to read theology every morning—it refreshes me. But above all, what strengthens me most is hearing the congregation respond, “Amen!” at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer at Sunday Mass.
The abuse scandal has damaged the church’s credibility. Is it still heard in society?
My personal experience is that, curiously, in France, the church’s voice is still expected on many issues. If we choose the right moment and manner of speaking, our words are generally received with interest, even appreciation. That does not mean they are necessarily obeyed—the church does not make the law in France—nor that everyone listens.
Western humanity has been making poor choices for a long time, and that worries me. I take no pleasure in seeing disaster, but I do not believe we are heading toward a world that is more just, truthful, and fraternal or one that delights the Creator. That said, the Old Testament shows us that humanity continually resists God, and yet that does not stop God from trying to save it.
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Where do we stand in the fight against abuse in the church?
At the opening of the upcoming Plenary Assembly in Lourdes, the CEF is organizing a two-day session (March 31 and April 1) to assess the progress made in combating sexual violence in the church.
More than 300 participants are expected, including the bishops of France—each accompanied by a diocesan representative—victims, and numerous civil society actors.
This session aims to present and evaluate the measures implemented since the CIASE report, identify what remains to be done, and outline future steps.
Further reading: Nearly 1,400 sex abuse victims seek compensation from Catholic Church in France