Pope describes sexual abuse as “diabolical” and comments on new scandal in French church

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis called sexual abuse “diabolical” on Friday as he addressed recent revelations of sexual harassment by a legendary French priest, Abbé Pierre, who dedicated his life to advocating for the homeless.

Abbé Pierre, who died in 2007, was one of France's most beloved public figures. Founder of the international Emmaus community for the poor, Abbé Pierre had been part of the French conscience since the 1950s, when he convinced Parliament to pass a law – still in force today – prohibiting landlords from evicting their tenants in winter.

Emmaus International announced this week that 17 more allegations against its late founder had been confirmed. These come in addition to the seven allegations made public in July, when it was revealed that the allegations were of “sexual assault or sexual harassment.” The scandal sparked outrage among French Catholics, for whom Abbé Pierre was a hero and an icon.

During a press conference on board a plane after his return from Asia, Francis was asked what the Vatican knew about Abbé Pierre and when. He was told that at least some people close to him knew about his impulsive sexual behavior.

Francis said he did not know exactly when the Holy See learned of his abuse, but it was after his death.

He called Abbe Pierre a “terrible sinner,” but said such a “shameful crime” was also “human nature.”

“He is a man who has done so much good, but he is also a sinner. We must speak clearly about these things and not hide them,” he said. “Abuse is, in my opinion, something demonic, because any kind of abuse destroys human dignity.”

According to Emmaus, the new 17 cases involve women who reported similar behavior to the first seven victims, expanding on abuse allegations dating back to the 1950s and 2000s. Their claims included “unsolicited breast touching and forced kissing,” as well as repeated sexual contact with a vulnerable person, sexual penetration of an adult woman and sexual contact with a child, Emmaus said.

Abbé Pierre's case is the latest involving a revered, charismatic Catholic leader who turns out to be a sex offender. It is somewhat similar to the scandal surrounding another French icon, Jean Vanier, who founded the L'Arche movement to care for people with disabilities and was later convicted of abuse against adult women.

During his visit to East Timor, Francis was confronted with a similar case. Timorese bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo received the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for independence, but the Vatican announced in 2022 that he had been punished for sexually abusing young boys. Belo was allowed to retire quietly in 2002 at the behest of John Paul II, and the Holy See has never revealed what it knew about his crimes or when.

During his stay in East Timor, Francis did not mention Belo by name. Belo is still revered there and many Timorese do not want to believe that he was an abuser. But after arriving in Dili, Francis condemned “abuse” in general terms.

Emmaus and the Abbe Pierre Foundation announced a series of steps to distance themselves from their founder, including changes to the foundation's name and the Emmaus logo, and the closure of a memorial dedicated to the priest.

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