lThe Pope’s statements about Abbot Pierre, on his return from a twelve-day trip to South-East Asia, have rekindled agitation in a France already stunned by the successive appalling revelations that have shattered the image of the man who had been so often designated “French people’s favorite personality” ; of the one, above all, whose voice and example had transformed the vision of people in precarious situations and had encouraged so many French people to get involved in such important causes as the fight against “poor housing”.
As President of the French Bishops’ Conference, I would like to share here three convictions and three questions.
First of all, it is now clear that between 1955 and 1957, at least some bishops knew that Abbot Pierre had serious behaviour towards women. Measures were taken, including psychiatric treatment. We can judge them insufficient, we can regret that they were kept so confidential. However, they represent a strong reaction to the ways of doing things at that time, certainly in the Church, but also in society as a whole.
A deputy (social), in particular, was imposed on Abbé Pierre. It seems that Abbé Pierre has managed to deceive this surveillance. The questions must be seriously addressed: social Did he make reports? If so, to whom? What did he say? How long did this mission last? What happened when the priest thus appointed was dismissed or died? During the next fifty years of Abbé Pierre’s life, how were concerns about him and the measures to be taken in regard to them conveyed?
To help clarify these and other questions, the French Episcopal Conference, as I announced on Thursday 12 September, has decided to lift the deadline for communication of the archives under its control concerning Abbot Pierre. I also respectfully hope that the Vatican will study its archives and say what the Holy See knew and when it knew it.
I reaffirm here the work of the Church in France to ensure that the truth is revealed about the cases of sexual assault and violence, as well as about the cases of spiritual influence, and to review its operations. I call on all other institutions and organisations to do the same. We owe it to the victims.
Victims can finally speak out
Secondly, it is now also established that it was known, at least in certain Emmaus circles, that Abbé Pierre was still alive and that he had to be watched because he was dangerous to women who approached him. However, numerous in-depth biographies have been written about Abbé Pierre and films have been made about him, during his life and after his death. None of these studies, none of these films suggest that he committed sexual assault. This must be questioned.
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