The Vatican informed as of « fall 1955 », according to a book inquiry – Liberation

At each new revelation, the hypothesis of a knowingly organized protection is confirmed. The Vatican had known for long decades Acts of Father Pierre, targeted by accusations of sexual assault, according to a book inquiry to appear Thursday, April 16, which is based on archives of the Holy See.

« In the fall of 1955, not only did the French high clergy knew the black side and the dangerousness of Father Pierre But the Holy See also« , Ask in Father Pierre, the factory of a saint (Allary Editions) Journalists Marie-France Etchegoin and Laetitia Cherel.

The authors report a «  » Judicial procedure « , started by the organ of the Roman curia responsible for controlling the customs and the faith of the members of the Church, the Holy Office »which was « Hold down by the bishops in France, quickly closed and buried two years later, in 1957 ».

Based on the Dicastery archives for the doctrine of the faith, consulted in March 2025, the book notably mentions the report of a plenary meeting of the Supreme Congregation of the Saint-Office on the case of Father Pierre of March 18, 1957.

This « Ten-page document draws up the chronology of Abbé Pierre’s sexual actions from 1955 to 1957, » details the alert letters from the American and Canadian cardinals in 1955, and the decisions of the Holy Office « specify the authors.

The report of the plenary meeting reports that Archbishop Paul-Émile, the Archbishop of Montreal, a city where Father Pierre went in May 1955, was aware of the « Accusations of immorality » against the priest.

The document also relates a request made on September 8, 1955 by the Holy Office to the Apostolic Nuncio (Ambassador of the Holy See, Editor’s note) then in France, Paolo Marella, « To closely follow the case of Father Pierre ».

A canon would also have « Written on October 25, 1955 at the Saint-Office to say » that he knew that «  » Immal things «  » had been committed by Father Pierre in the United States, say the two journalists.

Iconic figure in France and Founder of EmmaüsFather Pierre has been targeted since July 2024 by a series of accusations of sexual violence committed between the 1950s and 2000s. In France, The Archives of the Churchopen in an anticipated manner in front of the emotion caused by the revelations of sexual assault committed by Father Pierre, already revealed how, in the late 1950s, the episcopal hierarchy had silenced on a behavior deemed « problematic » But never named.

In the wake of revelations, Pope Francis had assured in September that the Vatican was aware, at least since his death in 2007accusations of sexual violence. The Conference of Bishops of France had formed the wish that « The Vatican engages in a study of his archives and says what the Holy See knew and when he knew ».

The book investigation to be published on Thursday also returns to remarks made by Father Pierre on the Jews on July 21, 1944, evoking « Families forced to idle (without them being their fault, of course) but full of gold with which they won with a ruthless hardness ».