Bishops of France meet in Lourdes
From Tuesday to Friday, the bishops will discuss the next steps after the shocking report on pedocracy in the church. They will also elect the next president.
According to several sources, the Archbishop of Reims, if not surprisingly, should be re-appointed for a second time in three years.
Keystone / David Goldman
The Catholic bishops will meet in Lourdes from Tuesday to Friday to discuss the continuation of the proceedings. Jean-Marc Sauvé’s shocking statement On pedocracy in the church, and pursue their presidential election.
At its previous session, in November, a month after the Conference of Bishops’ Conference of France (CEF) approved the decisions of the Independent Commission on Sex, it recognized the “institutional responsibility” of the Church for pedocriminal acts and their “proper nature”. Abuse in the church (cias) led by Jean-Marc Chau, which documented the scale of the event for more than 70 years.
The pastor announced a series of measures, including the creation of an independent structure to provide compensation to victims.
Compensation for victims
The Independent National Commission for Recognition and Compensation (Inirr) opened a website in mid-February to receive the first files from laity who have been attacked by priests or in various churches (except churches) for weeks. Child.
Its chairman, legal expert Mary Terrain de Vaughan, will present the function of its structure to about 120 bishops on Wednesday.
Also coming up is Gilles Vermont-Desros, head of the Relief and Anti-Child Abuse (SEAL) Fund, set up by the Episcopal Conference last year, responsible for raising funds for future claims for financial compensation. Inirr.
In late January, Gilles Vermont-Tesrochs announced in November that he had received the 20 million euros promised by CEF President Eric de Moulins-Beaufort. Real estate and furniture), personal donations from bishops and priests, and donations from individuals.
Deepening the Sauvé Report
In November, the bishops announced the establishment of nine working groups responsible for deepening some of the recommendations of the Chavez report, under the responsibility of ordinary people, but the clergy within them.
These groups include “sharing good habits in dealing with reported cases”, professional and “training of future priests”, “approval and spiritual support”, “awareness and control”, “awareness and control” of the groups leading the general life, and the clergy’s support. And bishops in their functions.
Hervey Balladur, the co-ordinator of these groups, and an ordinary man well acquainted with the workings of the soon-to-be-retired Church will be there on Wednesday to present the main lines of his work. The CEF gave the teams a year to report their findings.
Towards the second term
Also on the menu: Election of the President of the CEF. Bishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, 60, concludes his first edict. According to several sources, the archbishop of Reims, who was recognized for his work in creating awareness among his colleagues in the pedocrime file, should, if not surprisingly, be renewed for a second time every three years.
It is noteworthy that no one filed a nomination in this election. The results of the referendum will be announced on Thursday.
Unless the head of the CEF is the head of the Catholic Church in France – each bishop is a master in his diocese under the authority of the pope – he does, however, include France’s first confession with the authorities and the people.
In addition, the first three and a half days of the session will be devoted to secular, Protestant and Orthodox guests dedicated to the theme of Pope Francis’ loving “integrated ecology.” The plenary session concludes with a speech by the President on Friday morning.
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