The Catholic Church in France has called on prosecutors to investigate allegations of serious sexual abuse by the once venerated priest Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007.
Only the courts had the necessary investigative resources to ensure that the whole truth was told about the silences and denials from which Abbé Pierre may have benefited, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference said.
Allegations regarding the clergyman, who died at the age of 94, have come to light in recent months, with the church detailing abuse directed at women, children and the vulnerable.
The Egae Group, which has been tasked with collecting information on the scandal, said that 57 suspected victims had been identified after the Emmaus movement, founded by Abbé Pierre in 1949, made initial allegations public.
The abuse is reported to have occurred from the 1950s up to 2006.
Abbé Pierre was highly regarded in France, as a member of the Resistance during World War II, and one of the country’s best-loved figures for his fight against poverty. Allegations of serious abuse against minors and young women emerged last year, shocking the country.