After two and a half years of internal debates, the French bishops have decided. Their plenary assembly adopted, Friday March 26, a series of resolutions to respond to the crisis of sexual violence against minors in the Catholic Church.
They recognize “Different levels of responsibility” in the institution and want to create a “Independent body”, responsible for paying “A financial contribution” to victims who request it, a national criminal court, to canonically judge the perpetrators of sexual violence, a place of memory for the victims, perhaps in Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées). The bishops explained these decisions in a letter to Catholics.
This common position has been slow to take shape. She has long stumbled over the definition of responsibilities in sexual violence inflicted by priests and religious. To what extent was that of the ecclesial institution involved? Who in the hierarchy could be held accountable for the actions of certain clerics? The decisions and texts adopted on Friday bear traces of some hesitation, but they undoubtedly mark a step forward in facing the past.
It is undoubtedly the financial mechanism towards the victims which betrays the reluctance the most. On the positive side, victims’ associations welcome the fact that the body responsible for implementing it is designed as “Independent”, many people refusing to contact representatives of the institution to claim compensation. In addition, associations of victims will be members. Finally, contrary to what was envisaged in 2019, the amount paid will not necessarily be the same for everyone. It can be individualized according to requests and “Costs necessary for reconstruction” of the victim.
Awareness of long denied realities
But critics are expressed on two aspects. The first is that the bishops persist in refusing the terms of indemnity or reparation, too linked to the commitment of responsibility. The independent body will therefore award victims a “Financial contribution”, a neutral term considered hypocritical by some. This contribution will be capped. “Everything will depend on our means”, observed Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, the president of the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF). An amount of 5 million euros is envisaged ” to begin “.
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