Father Bruno Thévenin is the subject of extrajudicial criminal proceedings for abuse of persons and offenses against the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist. He has been banned from any ministry since Friday.
The bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux (Calvados), Jacques Habert, announced the news on Friday October 11 in a press release. Father Bruno Thévenin, priest of the diocese until 1975, made theobject “of an extrajudicial criminal procedure at the request of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.” In other words, it is an internal trial within the Church since it was judged at the officiality of Paris, which is the ecclesiastical tribunal responsible for dispensing justice.
Ordained in 1973, the accused was for a long time in ministry in the Paris region to carry out his missions within the Mission Thérèse association, which he himself founded. Several accusations have now been brought against him: abuse of people and offenses against the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist.
A first procedure was carried out by the Officiality of the Diocese of Paris, where he was found guilty and sentenced to dismissal from the clerical state and excommunication latae sentiaein other words an automatic excommunication. In addition, he is now banned from any ministry.
The abbot can appeal with the Dicastery. The victims of his actions were informed of this judgment. The latter did not file a complaint. The facts are therefore not brought before French justice for the moment.
During the time of a potential appeal, Bishop Jacques Habert does not wish to make any further communication.