Can a pedophilia scandal hide another? While former Scouts Lyon file complaints against Father Bernard Preynat accused of sexual assault in 1980 in Lyon, other cases arise. They weaken the defense of the ‘arch bishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin, that ensures not have “never” cover of pedophilia committed by priests placed under his authority.
In France, Catholic Church she is vigorously enough against priests suspected of fondling or sexual assaults on children? Francetv info interviewed Jean-Louis Schlegel, sociologist of religion, editor of the journal Ghost and author with Denis Pelletier, the book To the left of Christ. History of Christians left in 1945 to (Ed. Seuil). Maintenance
francetv info. What steps has it taken Catholic Church in France against its priests accused of pedophilia
?
Jean-Louis Schlegel: in the early 2000s, she underwent a quite sensational trial. For the first time in France, a bishop, one of Bayeux-Lisieux (Calvados), was assigned to the court for not denouncing a priest suspected of sexual assault on a minor. Bishop Pierre Pican has also been sentenced to three months suspended prison sentence in 2001.
Shaken, the Church has decided to take the bull by the horns. Since then, when a bishop learns that a priest suspected of pedophilia, it must immediately remove him from his department, once verified accusations, or at least intersected. It must then convince him to present himself in court and otherwise denounce justice. In 2011, a letter from Pope Benedict to bishops around the world confirmed the French doctrine.
A committee of priests and psychologists was also set up to illuminate the lantern of the bishops concerned. And in 2003 the Bishops’ Conference of France published a brochure entitled “Fight against pedophilia”, which intends to “marks educators” . [This brochure recalls in particular that the information is required, under French law, whenever the specific facts are known.]
That was not enough, visibly?
once the institutional means defined, remains the achievement. The French Catholic Church has really tried to put in place prevention, end of omerta, not to hide pedophiles, bring them to court if necessary, etc.
But what has not been enough done is support and listen to the victims. But these victims feel unbearable to see, years later, resurface the priest who abused them, which the Church has entrusted a function, “a ministry,” as they say in the Catholic Church.
“Providing a ministry,” it means that it is still pastor of a parish or group of parishes, or chaplain in an institution, a place where it can still meet young people and children. This is intolerable for the victims when they learn or meet him. For them, this means that no action was taken to permanently remove these priests of children.
Is it expected that other business be revealed?
Apparently, the word is released. The released word is also the name of the defense association of former Lyon scouts who accuse the Preynat father. People who had said nothing, which were walled in silence for decades wake up and want to go through revelations.
How is it that Cardinal Barbarin has, apparently, not taken the measure of what he was accused of?
it is indeed incomprehensible. I do not know. E st-it was too sure of himself because he has a strong reputation in France and Rome? Why these silences, these delays Cardinal? Why it took two months to receive the victims? Why Preynat father there still a parish in 2015, when Cardinal Barbarin had been informed of the charges against him?
I honestly do not know if the cardinal will remain at his post. Nevertheless, it could be justified by a lack of clarity: the law of the Church [called Canon Law], the requirement in cases of misconduct of a priest is in fact twenty years. Then, theoretically, it can be used again by the Church. But now with pedophilia, although it does not stick seen. For the victims, there is no possible prescription, and it will admit an author of priest pedophiles can no longer exercise his ministry. And therefore would be better to stop being a priest, that is to say, to ask her “return to the lay state”.
Are these cases did not also raise the issue of recruitment of priests?
Yes. There is a frightening lack of priests in all the dioceses. Hence the temptation to be heavy towards candidates. However, today, seminars [that trains future priests] organize sessions and lessons on issues related to sexuality, instincts, pornography … And the meaning of celibacy and chastity of course, with historians, sociologists, theologians, all kinds of stakeholders, including women.
There are no misgivings about it, there are discussions on everything but does that solves problems for later, when they will facing loneliness, temptations of modern society, daily contact with men, and more often with women, youth, children? The priest’s job is an extremely relational business!
To select better, the Church will she not be forced to further open its recruitment to afford to be more selective? Married men or women, for example?
You are preaching a convinced! But is that the only obstacle? There are several types of explanation on pedophilia in the Church. The first is that they occur everywhere where adults are in contact with young people. We can draw a parallel with teachers, for example
The second is that the Church is not comfortable with sexuality. The psychiatrist Jean-Paul Mialet said in Le Monde : the Church can not seem to give a just and healthy way for sexuality, she is embarrassed at the seams, it prohibits many and has a very idealistic view of love
Last result. actually, celibacy can create frustration. The Catholic Church is the only religious clergy celibacy request to all priests. There are not a class of priests could marry and others who choose celibacy: they are all bound to celibacy and chastity. Remember that despite all the pedophile priests are a tiny minority among the priests, and the renunciation of a female companion, so celibacy is the main difficulty for most.
It is also a very hierarchical Church. But the Popes have hardly put energy to repress pedophilia, while the debate is growing since the 1980s?
John Paul II [pope from 1978 to 2005] was not very good at it. It said he had been marked as Polish bishop, by the letters of slanderous denunciations were sent to him to attack the morals of a particular priest. It was a weapon that could be used against the communist government the Polish Church, who represented an opposition force.
Benedict XVI, he began to tackle the scourge even before be pope, when he was number two in the Vatican, at the head of the Congregation of the doctrine of the faith. Pope Francis continued the momentum. Fact little noted, François has a pretty healthy compared to women. Two days after his election, receiving the media, he embraced as good bread some young women journalists he knew, Argentina. Unheard: before him, women wore a veil on the head when they went to see the Pope! As if they were as women, a visual temptation to prevent people from church!
Francis, therefore, has a healthy sex to another report, and also gave firm instructions to end the silence on pedophilia. But the popes can not all remain all the bad habits of omerta, bad will and of course the limitations of men
And in France .?
the impression that everything was for the better had been in France since 2002, the cases were settled quickly and smoothly as possible. But with all these cases that turn out, we say that the religious authorities did not go far enough. They have not given the victims. I think the French Catholic Church will now have to take effective measures for a priest can never not ensure a ministry after committing pedophile acts.
Contrary to what happens in the United United, the French victims do not demand money. They just want their abuser is taken out of harm’s way. We have not quite heard them. There is a legal prescription, no prescription hearts and wounded bodies.
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