The Vatican was informed of the accusations of sexual violence against Abbé Pierre, at least “after [s]”He died” in 2007, Pope Francis assured Friday during a press conference, describing the founder of Emmaus as a “terrible sinner.”
“What did the Vatican know about Abbé Pierre? I don’t know when the Vatican learned about it (…). I don’t know because I wasn’t here (as pope), and it didn’t occur to me to do any research on that,” Francis said on board the plane taking him back to Rome, on the way back from his tour of Asia-Pacific.
“Certainly, after [s]”Death, for sure. But before that, I don’t know,” he told the journalists accompanying him, calling the priest a “terrible sinner.”
Seven weeks after initial revelations accusing him of sexual assault, Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007 at the age of 94, is the target of 17 new testimonies accusing him of sexual violence allegedly committed between the 1950s and the 2000s.
Pope Francis said it was a “very painful, very delicate” issue.
“Good people, people, people who do good – you quoted Abbé Pierre – later, despite all the good (he has done), we discover that this person is a terrible sinner. This is our human condition,” the Argentine pope said in response to a journalist’s question.
“We must not say: let’s cover it up, let’s cover it up so that it doesn’t show! Public sins are public. And they must be condemned. Abbé Pierre is a man who has done so much good, but he is also a sinner,” he added.
“We have to be clear about these things, not cover up, working against aggression is something we all have to do. Not only against sexual aggression, but against all types of abuse: social abuse, educational abuse, changing people’s mentality, attacking freedom… abuse is, in my eyes, a demonic thing!”
“Because any type of abuse destroys the dignity of the person. Any type of abuse seeks to destroy what we all are: the image of God. I am happy when these cases come out (are made public),” the head of the Catholic Church continued.
“Sexual assault against children and minors is a crime! It is a shame!” he concluded.
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