Pedocriminality in the Church: the faithful "keep the faith but something has broken"

Charles Guyard edited by Solène Delinger 3:41 p.m., October 10, 2021

REPORTING

First the amazement, then "shame": in Luçon, Vendée, believers and religious are still upset, a few days after the publication of the edifying Sauvé report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

After two and a half years of work and thousands of testimonies collected throughout France, the report of the independent commission revealed that at least 216,000 have been victims of sexual violence by priests or religious, since 1950. A figure as overwhelming for the Church as revolting for the parishioners. 

"How can you be a believer after things like that?"

The emotion was particularly strong this Sunday in front of the cathedral of Luçon, where a plaque was specially placed last March on the subject of acts of pedocriminality in the Church.

Michelle and Bella, two parishioners, are still not recovering from the revelations of the Sauvé report.

“How do you want to be a believer after stuff like that?” Asks Michelle.

"We keep the faith but something has broken", she adds to the microphone of Europe 1. "If I were a mother today, I would not send my children to summer camp with priests. or priests, ”Bella says. 

"They are criminals"

These same priests and priests were the only references for children sent from the age of 10-11 to the minor seminary of Chavagnes en Palliers, still in Vendée, not far from Montaigu. Charles has always lived here, right next to the boarding school, not knowing what was going on behind the high walls of the institution. "We didn't see anything," he laments. "They were in community at the seminary so it happened like that, without us realizing it". At the time, Sister Marie was at the convent, a few streets away from the seminary which now houses a college. She is disgusted. "It's a shame. It has to be known," she confides at the microphone of Europe 1, her voice trembling. "They are criminals". For the only department of Vendée,more than 70 victims have been identified to date for 45 identified aggressors. 

The faithful plead for the implementation of "strong preventive measures"

How should the Catholic Church react to these overwhelming figures?

Can she make a difference?

For Jean-Marie Guénois, editor-in-chief and specialist in religious issues at Le Figaro, the bishop must take strong preventive measures, as requested by the faithful.

"Priests who behave badly must be immediately investigated so that this nightmare of pedophilia becomes a thing of the past."