The Archdiocese of Montreal does not intend to take any new measures to shed light on the revelations made by France Info earlier this week that Father Pierre had sexually abused victims in Montreal and that the Catholic Church in Quebec was aware of his actions.
Following the publication last July of an initial report on alleged assaults committed in France by the famous priest who died in 2007, the Archdiocese of Montreal mandated André Denis, a retired judge of the Superior Court of Quebec, to examine the diocesan archives relating to Abbé Pierre’s visits.
In his report submitted on August 15, André Denis mentions that he found, through his “careful study” of the archives, no mention “of any aggression towards women or of a malicious act by Abbé Pierre during his visits to Montreal.”
He adds that this does not mean that Father Pierre did not commit abuse in Quebec. “I am simply saying that there is no reference to it in the archives of the Archdiocese of Montreal,” he specifies.
André Denis also mentions that “nothing allows me to affirm that the Catholic authorities of Montreal were warned of such acts if they occurred.”
Victims in Montreal
In an investigation published Monday, France Info claims that Abbé Pierre caused victims in Montreal and that the Catholic Church in Quebec was aware of the actions of the French priest, founder of the charitable organization Emmaüs.
The French media reported the testimony of André Paul, a French theologian now aged 94, who claims that a Quebec priest told him in 1963 that Abbé Pierre had committed sexual assaults on women in Montreal.
“That’s why he had to leave the country [en 1960] with the express instruction not to return there,” he revealed.
Mr. Paul added that the police were seized of the case and that “the cardinal of Montreal intervened so that Abbé Pierre would not be prosecuted, on condition that he never set foot there again.” The archbishop of Montreal at that time was Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger.
The Archdiocese of Montreal responded to the Duty that “the conclusions of Judge Denis’ report are conclusive,” despite these new revelations. The institution was unable to provide us with details on Father Pierre’s travels in the province, since it “does not hold detailed or exhaustive archives on Father Pierre’s activities during his stay in Quebec.”
Two reports
In France, the Egaé group — a firm specializing in the prevention of sexist and sexual violence — was mandated by Emmaüs International, Emmaüs France and the Abbé Pierre Foundation to listen to the alleged victims and shed light on the allegations against Abbé Pierre.
In a first report released in July, the agency revealed the testimonies of seven women accusing the French priest of unsolicited touching of the breasts and repeated comments of a sexual nature, among other things. One of these people was a minor at the time of the first alleged facts.
On September 6, the Egaé firm published a second report on the actions of Abbé Pierre containing the testimonies of 17 other women, reporting among other things forced kisses and sexual contact on a child, sexual contact on people in a vulnerable state and forced fellatio.
The reports from the Egaé firm do not mention any Quebec victims.
The organizations Emmaüs International, Emmaüs France and the Abbé Pierre Foundation have announced that they will maintain the listening service for the alleged victims of the French priest until December 31. “The objective is to allow each person who wishes to do so to testify, to be recognized and heard.”
National Order of Quebec
While the name of Abbé Pierre is gradually disappearing from the public space in France, the Secretariat of the National Order of Quebec has not wanted to tell the Duty whether the testimonies of the 24 women are sufficient to initiate procedures to revoke the title of Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec awarded to Abbé Pierre in 1995.
“The Secretariat of the Order, although following the case closely, will not comment on the matter publicly,” the Ministry of the Executive Council responded to us on Wednesday.
According to section 8 of the Act respecting the National Order of Quebec, a member may be struck off the rolls by the government, upon recommendation of the Prime Minister. For such proceedings to be initiated, there must be a guilty verdict or “undeniable proof that demonstrates unacceptable behaviour that is incompatible with the values and principles of the Order,” specifies the Ministry of the Executive Council.