Uproar over bishop’s remark on abuse

A prominent French bishop has insisted that paedophilia is “an atrocious crime that offends God” and apologised for giving a different impression on a Christian radio network, writes Tom Heneghan.

Bishop Stanislas Lalanne of Pontoise, a former secretary general of the French Bishops’ Conference, caused an uproar when he told an interviewer that sexual abuse of minors was “evil” but its sinfulness depended on the specific case. Amid continued controversy in Lyon over abuse cases there, his comment was a further embarrassment for the French Church.