French bishops reveal 12 new abuse allegations against Abbé Pierre

CNA Staff, Jul 12, 2025 / 10:00 am

The Bishops’ Conference of France this week said a dozen new accusers have come forth with allegations of abuse against deceased Capuchin priest Abbé Pierre.

The famed French priest has already been accused by several dozen people of inflicting abuse over the course of several decades. Pierre founded the Emmaus movement, an international charity effort, after World War II.

In a July 10 press release the French bishops said they were “shocked to receive the testimony of 12 new victims of Abbé Pierre, including seven minors at the time of the events.”

The bishops “assure these people of their support,” the prelates said in the release.

Allegations of abuse against Pierre, who for decades was hailed for his charity work in France, shocked the Catholic world last year. Emmaus International revealed the abuse claims in July 2024, with new allegations surfacing last September.

The Abbé Pierre Foundation announced it would change its name due to the revelations. The French bishops also said they would release archive files on Pierre nearly six decades ahead of schedule amid the abuse claims.

French prosecutors said earlier this year they would not mount an investigation into the priest due to his having died in 2007.

This week, meanwhile, the French bishops said they were “committed to helping victims rebuild their lives after what they have been through.”

The bishops and Emmaus “are working together with determination on a process of reparation,” they said.