The Pia school in Catalonia has revealed new sexual abuse of minors in Senegal by religious members of its institution. In this case, the order that runs many schools admitted that Piarist Josep Maria Canet committed abuse against children between the ages of 8 and 12 during his time as a missionary and boarding school director in the African country. This happened between 1992 and 2005.
In a joint press release, the Pia School and the Commission for the Defense of Minors Sexually Assaulted in the Church in Senegal explain that they became aware of the events after the abuse committed by another Piarist, Manel Sales, became public in June 2023. Following this new information, a commission of experts investigated the case and concluded that Canet had sexually abused various students at the Joseph Faye school in Oussouye, Senegal, and with minors of the population.
Canet was transferred to France in 2005 after several young Catalan collaborators informed the Piarist authorities of abuses committed in Senegal by Manel Sales, his companion. Subsequently, from 2007, Josep Maria Canet held important positions within the congregation, as member of the government team, economic advisor and treasurer of the Order. Since September 2023, and while the investigation process lasts, he has been dismissed from all his functions within the Order.
The Commission for the Defense of Minors Sexually Assaulted in the Church in Senegal and the Pia School communicated this information to the Prosecutor’s Office and shared it with the Mediator. The Piarists also reported the events to the ecclesiastical authorities.
Investigation of the facts
Following communication with the victims and the publication of the press release of June 29, 2023 on the abuses committed by Manel Sales, where the institution admits to having concealed the abuses for 25 years, various victims have contacted the Commission in recent months to express their concerns. testimonies and provide new information. The newly reported facts have been studied and verified by an external team composed of three renowned professionals in the fields of law, criminology and psychology.
This team, which interviewed two of the victims and the attacker, confirmed that the stories are credible and that what the victims expressed constitutes sexual abuse of minors, according to the legislation in force in Senegal and Spain at the time of the crimes. . facts. According to the victims’ testimonies, collected in the press release, it is confirmed that the abuse occurred between 1992 and 2005, when the minors were between 8 and 12 years old.
From the investigation by the commission of experts, it emerged that between 1992 and 2005, when Canet was appointed missionary and director of the Joseph Faye boarding school in Oussouye, “he maintained sexual contacts with various students of the school and with minors from the population.”
The press release denounces that these practices are “contrary to his commitments as religious and constitute an abuse of authority and power”. We also see that the young people were in a situation of subordination and dependence towards him and at the Pia school. It is also added that these actions expose them to the risk of being imprisoned, since the practice of homosexuality is considered an offense in Senegal.
According to the testimony of victims before the Commission for the Defense of Minors Sexually Assaulted in the Church of Senegal, Josep Maria Canet was aware of the sexual abuse of minors committed by his fellow Piarist Manel Sales – publicly reported in June 2023 – and covered it up . . Both committed the abuses at the same Joseph Faye boarding school in Oussouye and in other places in the region described by the victims, where Canet and Sales invited minors to share moments of leisure with them.
The response from the Pia School
The Order of the Pia School publicly assumes responsibility for the events described and occurred in Senegal and expresses “its absolute indignation, rejection and refusal” for these acts which “should have had no place or possible justification”.
He apologizes to all the victims, their families and the Senegalese communities for the damage caused by the Pie School, as well as to the people who trusted Josep Maria Canet and his work as a religious and educator at the Senegal and Catalonia.
He also apologizes to people “who, at some point in the past, approached the institution and were not treated properly by the Piarist leaders of the time in Senegal and Catalonia.”
In accordance with the commitment made in June 2023, the Pie School, in collaboration with the Commission for the Defense of Minors Sexually Assaulted in the Church of Senegal, has mandated the same external team of independent professionals to ensure the care of victims of abuse. committed by the Piarists in Senegal, with the intention of repairing the damage caused.
To this end, this external repair team provides a telephone number ((00221) 76 752 61 87) and an online reporting channel for anyone wishing to share information related to events occurring in Senegal, Catalonia or elsewhere by the denounced countries. Piarists.
