- The abuse scandal surrounding the Saint-Maurice Abbey has consequences.
- The College of Saint-Maurice is to be further separated from the church.
- This is important for the safety and reputation of the school, reports the Valais cantonal government.
- A working group examined the impact of the allegations of abuse on the high school.
The abuse scandal has rocked the Saint-Maurice Abbey in recent months. How big the extent is is still unclear. The first allegations came to light last September as part of the University of Zurich’s study into sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.
Shortly afterwards, RTS reported that nine priests had been involved in cases of sexual abuse against children and young people over the last three decades. These allegations sparked several investigations.
The current investigation concerned the Saint-Maurice college, which formerly belonged to the abbey. It has been in public hands since 2021 and is one of four public high schools in the canton of Valais.
Civilian clothing, new name
However, until now the Saint-Maurice high school was run by the abbey. The Valais cantonal government now wants to change that and “lead the college into a new era”. There should be a clearer separation between the school and the abbey.
This huge abuse scandal hastened the separation.
The new name should also make this clear – the abbey will disappear from the name, the college will be called “Lycée-Collège de Saint-Maurice”. “We will not take down the crosses on the walls,” emphasized State Councilor Christophe Darbellay. However, a clear separation of the church is important for the school’s reputation. This process was already underway, “but this huge abuse scandal with national and international repercussions has accelerated the process.”
Clergy are still allowed to work as teachers, but must wear civilian clothing. And they will no longer be allowed to hold the position of rector in the future. With one exception.
Two canons exonerated
The previous rector will be reinstated. He is not charged in the abuse cases, but voluntarily withdrew during the affair. He will be the last clergyman in this post. Darbellay made it clear that the rector and another canon would be allowed to teach again. They were not guilty of anything.
However, legal proceedings are still ongoing against the interim abbot of the abbey, who also resigned.
The head of the working group, Monika Maire-Hefti, emphasized that the students and parents generally value the connection to the abbey and would have a good experience of the exchange.
There have been victims. You have now received a vote.
The working group is also not an investigative commission and has not legally processed the abuses. Nevertheless, it is important to send a clear signal: “You have to acknowledge that there were victims. They finally got a voice.” According to Maire-Hefti, young people were affected by abuses that shaped their entire lives.
Legend:
The Saint-Maurice monastery is the oldest monastery north of the Alps. The Augustinian Order was founded in 515 AD. The monastery is an institution in Lower Valais; it used to include a boarding school and a high school.
KEYSTONE/Jean-Christophe Bott
It is important that the college is safe for the students. The measures that the working group has developed are intended to prevent such cases from happening again in the future.
To this end, the working group demands that the abbey process the incidents transparently.