Cardinal Philippe Barbarin took this decision after consulting a panel of experts.
The diocese of Lyon announced “have identified four priests in their ministry” Thursday, June 30 and decided to “special accompanying measures” for others. No name is provided by the diocese but an authoritative source ensures that a “dozen priests” in total would be affected.
Four names but return regularly by several sources, because these priests have been worried, convicted or are on track to be: Bernard Preynat; Jerome Billioud; Eric Pepino; Philippe Morand. But this list is not officially confirmed.
These decisions, taken by Cardinal Barbarin, were in the context of “new standards in the fight against sexual abuse” also announced Thursday Preynat result of the case. Measures in part already known such as the establishment of a “panel of experts” which has already met, “seven times” to give notice to the Archbishop “on the situation of priests who are charged sexual abuse of minor or major events. ” It is therefore on notice of this “group of experts” that the Archbishop of Lyon took its decisions.
The priest retains the right to say Mass in private but his sidelining is accompanied systematically investigation or a civil trial and opens ultimately an internal canonical trial to the Church
a specialist Canon law noted that the penalty of “up to his ministry” a priest “is not yet a real canonical sanction but a sort of first level preventive measure is to prohibit him exercise of public ministry.” The priest retains the right to say Mass in private but his sidelining is accompanied systematically investigation or a civil trial and opens ultimately an internal canonical trial to the Church. It is he who decides the “pending a divinis” disqualification from the transitional ministry if the priest after serving sentence, if amended. Or “from the clerical state” of the priest is final.
“Catholics of Lyon, said a source close to the diocese now know that the priest who celebrates Mass before them did no history of this kind because have been spent on examining the panel of experts all priests actually put into question by the court but also those that are the subject of a doubt linked to informal and recurring complaints “.
” We are asking for six months measures up to much of what these priests have committed “
what is actually the spirit of the two key measures announced. Which in this first: “Every priest who committed acts of sexual assault on a minor, whatever the material time and date of discovery thereof, will be definitely ruled out of any department.” And this: “Every priest suspected of sexual abuse facts, if the subject of an indictment or prosecution before a criminal court, will, by interim measure, dismissed from office during the time of the procedure, in the respect for the presumption of innocence. A canonical investigation is being conducted in accordance with canon law “
Virieux Bertrand, president of the association of victims released The Word welcomes this announcement..” These are strong measures, common sense we ask for six months. They really live up to what these priests have committed. “
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