The Emmanuel Community, one of the main charismatic-inspired Catholic movements in France, announced that it had reached a financial settlement with two women who accused one of its member priests, Benoît Moulay, of rape in Le Mans and Rennes.
“Two women from Le Mans and Rennes asked the Emmanuel Community for compensation for the damage caused by Mr. Benoît M., former priest of the diocese of Le Mans and member of the Emmanuel Community”writes the movement resulting from the Charismatic Renewal in a press release consulted on Friday by Agence France-Presse (AFP). He “He was removed from the clerical state by canonical sentence of May 11, 2023, for sexual abuse and power”details this text, which does not reveal the amount of the agreement reached between the parties.
“Deeply marked by what these two women experienced, the Emmanuel Community wanted to contribute to repairing the damage suffered”the press release further specifies ” common “ to the victims and the religious movement. The agreement reached cannot be pronounced “on legal responsibility” of the latter, he adds.
“Grip”
Marie and Flore (assumed names) had taken the community to the Nanterre judicial court in July to obtain compensation for the damage caused. They accuse Benoît Moulay of having raped them using“control” about them, according to the summons that AFP was able to consult.
Marie, a faithful member of the diocese of Le Mans, accused the priest of having digitally raped her for the first time in September 2010, before repeating these violations several times in the following months. Father Moulay, who was then officiating in the diocese of Rennes, similarly raped Flore, of whom he was a regular confessor, according to the summons. Also according to this document, the priest acknowledged the lack of consent of the victims during the criminal proceedings dismissed in Rennes in July 2020.
In April 2024, another priest, a former member of Emmanuel, was accused in Tours of rape by a person who abused the authority his role gave him over two adult women.
The Catholic Church, which has been facing scandals of sexual violence for years, has created several reparation bodies and listening cells. The French Bishops’ Conference will present in November its system for adult victims of sexual violence within the Church.
