A few victims of sexual abuse came to testify this Sunday in the courtyard of the Booksellers of Rouen Cathedral. The diocese of Rouen organized the first memorial day. A day of prayer for the victims of these crimes. On this occasion, a commemorative plaque was inaugurated near the Joan of Arc chapel in the cathedral.
Break the omerta
“I was raped three times by my high school chaplain when I was 11, it was absolute horror, it completely tore me apart, destroyed me“, says Claire. “All my life I felt guilty when I was a victim. I had been abused, my body. And I kept traces of it all my life, but more than that I was slaughtered“, she continues.
“This complicit silence had to be denounced. Somewhere the church has been like a criminal organization that committed these crimes because rape is a crime. I thank the victims who wanted to speak. I hope that these kind of meetings will allow them to open the door to hear their words”explains Maité, a faithful from Rouen who came to attend this prayer.
For its part, the diocese of Rouen reiterates its “ask for forgiveness” to the victims. Very moved, Bishop Lebrun assures that the diocese “takes a path of humility, and that the victims are and will be listened to“. This Sunday, March 20 marks the first memorial day to remember.”What is very horrible for me is to see that the priests have used the confidence they inspired to do things that have caused damage for decades and decades.“, concludes Archbishop Lebrun.