A second Catholic bishop in France in the course of several days has come forward to publicly admit having committed sexual abuse.”In the late 1980s when I was a Franciscan friar I made inappropriate gestures toward a young woman of legal age, behavior that I deeply regret,” said retired Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet in a brief statement dated November 15. “By this public statement, I wish to contribute to the process of truth and assume my responsibility,” said the 81-year-old Grallet, who served as archbishop of Strasbourg from 2007-2017.The French Bishops’ Conference (CEF) made the statement public on Wednesday.Request for forgivenessArchbishop Grallet told La Croix he did not wish to give further details on the events, which date back to a time when he was serving as a student chaplain. But he acknowledged that a canonical investigation is currently underway and that a report has been sent to the public prosecutor.”During the summer of 2022, I learned of this woman’s testimony,” Archbishop Grallet said in his public statement. “I immediately wrote to her to tell her that I had failed and to ask her for forgiveness,” he pointed out. “I went astray and I hurt a person.
Read more at: https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/another-french-bishop-admits-to-committing-sex-abuse/16913
PAT SAYS
This new phenomenon of bishops confessing they abused as priests is thought provoking.
Why did they accept the bishops position knowing they were abusers?
Was it a case of ambition triumphing over principle ?
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 