They will be closely observed on the issue of sexual violence in the Church. Meeting in Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées) until Monday 8 November, thehe bishops of France must consider the follow-up to be given to the shock report of the independent Commission on sexual violence in the Church, chaired by the former vice-president of the Council of State Jean-Marc Sauvé. This revealed the scale of the number of victims of rape and assault in France, estimated at 330,000 since 1950, while the number of predators, during these 70 years, is estimated at around 3,000 men, priests or religious. While the Church is now called upon to provide concrete answers to the expectations of the victims and the faithful, what can we expect from the Conference of Bishops of France?
The confession of the responsibility of the Church
In its recommendations, the Sauvé commission believes that the Church must “to recognize, for the whole of the period analyzed by the commission, (…) the civil and social responsibility of the Church independently of any personal fault of its persons in charge “. She also considers that it is necessary, more generally, “recognize the systemic responsibility of the Church” and “as such, examine the factors which have contributed to its institutional failure”.
Will the Conference of Bishops of France be ready to deliver a speech in this direction? “There is a very, very strong expectation”, said the editorial director of the magazine Christian testimony Christine Pedotti, Tuesday November 2 on franceinfo. But at the same time, the journalist emphasizes that “since the publication of the Sauvé report, finally, we have especially heard a lot of silence“. “There is real concern, it seems to me, that the bishops are not aware of the explosion that has just occurred, including with regard to their priests”, she concluded.
According to an Ifop poll for the newspaper The cross published on October 27, 76% of Catholics believe that the reaction of the episcopate has not been up to date. For François Devaux, co-founder of the victims association La parole libérée, he is “imperative” that the bishops pronounce during their meeting in Lourdes the “recognition of the responsibility of the Church and initiate a process of reparation“.
Any details on compensation for victims
As a logical consequence of this responsibility, compensation for victims of rape and sexual assault committed by priests is among “the priorities” of this Assembly of Bishops, assured the episcopate. But it is still necessary to know how high, who will be affected and how these allowances will be financed. In its recommendations, the Sauvé commission recommends individualizing the calculation of compensation based on “harm suffered”. She proposes to finance the compensation fund “from the heritage of the aggressors and the Church of France”, but rejects the track of a call for donations from the faithful.
The French Bishops’ Conference, however, took an interest in this latter solution, at least partially. In March 2021, to help compensate victims, the episcopate announced the creation of a “dotation funds” which can be supplemented by “donations from bishops, priests, faithful and anyone who wants to participate “. The statutes of this fund were “deposited“during the summer, according to the bishops. IQuestioned on franceinfo on Tuesday 2 November, the Archbishop of Strasbourg, however, also ruled out “completely” the hypothesis of making a call for donations to finance compensation for victims. “It would be very badly taken, very badly lived, it would not make sense, estimated Monsignor Luc Ravel. So we have to find money otherwise. “
Reforms of the Catholic Church
In a very hierarchical Catholic Church, reforms must go through a council, a meeting of bishops held under the authority of the Pope. The Assembly of Bishops can nevertheless show that it has heard the criticisms of its operation. In its recommendations, the Sauvé commission questions celibacy, “with regard to the representation of the priest and the risk that would consist in conferring on him a heroic position or of domination”. It also asks the question of “opening of the priesthood to married men “.
According to a survey commissioned by the magazine Christian testimony, “on the great reforms that are expected in the Church, what comes first is the request for a council “, specifies Christine Pedotti. “That means that there is really a very strong demand from Catholics for there to be a great updating of the Church “, she explains. The faithful interviewed demanded in particular “married priests, the presence of women” and “the sharing of power between clerics and laity”, still according to Christine Pedotti.
The daily survey The cross published on October 27 reflects the same expectations. French Catholics “demand change in governance with a better sharing of power in the Church, in particular by making more room for women”, writes the diary.
Taking into account the voices of victims
Some victims will be heard in Lourdes. After meeting behind closed doors Tuesday morning to begin considering the Sauvé report, the bishops received five in the afternoon, also behind closed doors. Victims are also invited to speak in plenary assembly Friday, November 5, with members of the Conference of Religious Men and Women of France, lay people and clerics who participated in working groups, members of listening cells and responsible for Catholic education. Finally, on Saturday morning, a “memorial gesture” symbolic system is intended for the victims.
But this listening is judged only very partial by the collectives and associations which represent the victims. Regretting that the Sauvé report was not the sole subject of the assembly, none of them participated in the meeting. “We do not want to be the guarantor of a minimum process, lamented to AFP Olivier Savignac, of the collective Parler et revivre. What is expected is an outright application of the recommendations of the Sauvé commission. (…) This theme should only be the focus of this plenary assembly. ” Jean-Marc Sauvé, moreover, was not invited to Lourdes.