The Emmaüs movement decided, Tuesday January 21, to remove from its logo the mention of its founder Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007 and is now the subject of 33 accusations of sexual violence.
During an extraordinary general assembly, the participants, who represented some 300 structures of the movement, voted 91% in favor of removing the words “Founder Abbé Pierre” from the Emmaüs logo. Until now, it appeared in small characters after the name of the association, under a symbol, a blue square decorated with a sun. “It’s a clear result”commented Bruno Morel, president of Emmaüs France, to Agence France-Presse. “Without denying what we owe to Abbé Pierre, we must continue to work in the service of vulnerable populations. »
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The board of directors of Emmaüs France proposed, in September 2024, to remove the mention of its founder from its logo, following a burst of revelations of accusations of sexual violence against him, the second since July . This measure is part “in line with the approach of recognition and respect towards the victims”specifies a press release from Emmaüs. Abbot Pierre will “still part of our history” more “it becomes impossible to publicly honor one’s image”notes the association.
Emmaüs France has permanently closed the place of memory dedicated to the priest, in Esteville, in Seine-Maritime. It also recommended that its member structures remove all visuals of the priest. “Many have already been withdrawn but certain groups still need to work on the subject, it is complicated for certain former companions”recognized Bruno Morel. He hopes to achieve “turn a very painful page, obviously for the victims, but also for the movement”.
Where to shock
In total, Abbé Pierre is targeted by 33 accusations of sexual violence. They were revealed in three different reports produced by the Egaé firm, commissioned by the Emmaüs movement and the Abbé Pierre Foundation to shed light on the priest's actions.
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-The first, published in July 2024, reported testimonies of sexual harassment and assault. It caused a shock wave as Abbé Pierre, tireless defender of the poorly housed and the most deprived, has long been an icon. The latest report was made public last week. Among the new revelations, a member of Abbé Pierre's family claims to have suffered from him “sexual contact on her breasts and mouth in the late 1990s”. Another testimony mentions a “penetrative sexual act on a minor boy”. This latest report led Emmaüs to describe its founder as “predator”.
In the wake of these revelations, the French Catholic Church took a strong symbolic measure by asking the courts to open an investigation. Such legal action, however, risks encountering obstacles, given the age of the facts, which date back to a period ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s.
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Created in 1949, Emmaüs is the oldest association founded on the initiative of Abbé Pierre, whose real name is Henri Grouès. Since then, it has become a heavyweight in the sector of helping the most vulnerable, with 38,000 members in France. The priest also created the Abbé Pierre Foundation with relatives in 1987, which fights against poor housing. She now plans to change her name.
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