Judicial investigation into ‘shielding of abusive priest’

France has put under judicial investigation an 81-year-old retired bishop on suspicion he shielded a paedophile priest, the first prelate since 2001 to be officially investigated for failing to denounce an abusive cleric under his authority, writes Tom Heneghan.

Former Orléans Bishop André Fort, who held the office between 2002 and 2010, is suspected of covering up for Fr Pierre de Castelet, who himself was put under judicial investigation for abuse in 2012.

The Bishops’ Conference said in a statement it was ready to cooperate with the authorities in the case. In French law, being put under investigation falls short of actually being charged with a crime, but it is often the prelude to it.

The last such case was in 2001, when former Bayeux Bishop Pierre Pican received a three-month suspended sentence for failing to denounce a priest who was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2000 for sexual abuse.

The case came to light when Bishop Fort’s successor, Bishop Jacques Blaquart, learned of the accusations and informed the local prosecutor.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Belgium, a Swiss priest from the traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) stands accused of sexual abuse of three young boys in an appeals case, after being acquitted in an initial trial dating back to 2010.

The priest, 39, was transferred to Brussels by the SSPX in 2009 after previously being identified within the Society as an alleged abuser in his home country. He denies any wrongdoing.
SSPX Secretary General Fr Christian Thouvenot told Swiss Radio the Society had no legal obligation to report the initial abuse charges to Swiss authorities. It has since changed its policies.

“Today, we would certainly inform the authorities, as we have done in Brussels,” he said.