Church calls for judicial investigation into Abbe Pierre amid new abuse claims
17 January 2025, 12:14
The once-revered French priest was the centre of allegations that emerged after his death.
The French Catholic Church has formally requested that prosecutors initiate an investigation into Abbe Pierre, a once-revered priest and leading humanitarian who died in 2007, following new revelations of sexual violence.
Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French Bishops Conference (CEF), announced the move during an interview on RMC radio on Friday.
“We must get to the bottom of the truth – uncover any additional victims, accomplices, and failures to report these crimes,” he said.
Born Henri Groues in 1912, Abbe Pierre was a French Catholic priest renowned for his dedication to aiding the poor and homeless.
In 1949, he founded the Emmaus movement, an international organisation focused on combating poverty and homelessness.
His humanitarian efforts, especially during the harsh winter of 1954, garnered him widespread admiration, and he was often regarded as the conscience of France.
The allegations against Abbe Pierre surfaced posthumously, significantly tarnishing his legacy years after his death.
In July 2024, Emmaus International and the Fondation Abbe Pierre released a report detailing accusations from seven women, including one who was a minor at the time, alleging sexual assault and harassment by Abbe Pierre between the late 1970s and 2000s.
Following these initial revelations, a dedicated channel for victims led to 17 additional accusations, with incidents reportedly occurring from the 1950s to the 2000s across various countries, including France, the United States, Morocco and Switzerland.
Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort told RMC radio that the church has formally requested prosecutors to open an investigation into Abbe Pierre.
He emphasised the necessity of uncovering the full truth, identifying any additional victims, accomplices and instances where these crimes were not reported.
The conference also issued a statement on Friday highlighting the gravity of the allegations and acknowledging past failures in heeding warnings.
It underlined the need for judicial action to uncover the full extent of the abuse and any systemic silences that may have allowed it to persist.
