the president of the Conference of Bishops of France wants to understand “how he was able to escape the vigilance of so many people”

“From the years 1957-70”, there are traces, in the archives, that the Church tried to “limit” the actions of Abbot Pierre. After 1970, “we no longer know anything”, wonders Éric de Moulins-Beaufort.

“I’m not specifically looking for culprits”more “we must try to understand how [l’abbé Pierre] was able to escape the vigilance of so many people”underlines Wednesday January 22 on “here Champagne-Ardenne” the president of the Conference of Bishops of France, Monsignor Éric de Moulins-Beaufort. The icon of the defense of the most deprived is today accused of multiple sexual violence, more than 15 years after his death.

According to him, “there are things which deserve a serious investigation to be carried out. We, the Church of France, from the month of September, we opened the archives and the archives show that, from the years 1957 to 1970, we tried to follow Abbé Pierre and limit his action”, he continues. After the 1970s, “We don’t know anything anymore. So we have to try to understand why suddenly everything stopped and how he was able to escape the vigilance of so many people he was around.”

In total, Abbé Pierre is targeted by 33 accusations of sexual violence. They were revealed by three different reports, produced by the Egaé firm, mandated by the Emmaüs movement and the Abbé Pierre Foundation to shed light on the priest’s actions.