“35 years ago, when I was a priest, I behaved reproachfully towards a 14-year-old girl,” Ricard said in a statement.
The cardinal’s announcement comes after a report revealed a large number of child sexual abuse cases in the French Catholic Church.
“My behavior has caused that person serious and lasting harm”, referenced.
Ricard, 78, was Archbishop of Bordeaux, in southwestern France, until he retired in 2019 to serve in his home diocese of Dignes-les-Bains (south). In the 1980s he was a priest in the Archdiocese of Marseille.
The cardinal said he spoke to the victim and apologized, but did not specify when.
In the text released today, Ricard also said he also apologized to everyone he hurt.
However, Ricard emphasized that he decided “not to be silent about the” [sua] situation”, shows itself available to cooperate with the French judiciary and with the ecclesiastical authorities.
Eleven bishops or former bishops have been charged with sexual abuse by French civil or ecclesiastical justice, French Bishops’ Conference (CEF) President Eric de Moulins-Beaufort announced today at a press conference in Lourdes, southwestern France. is home to an important Catholic pilgrimage site.
The 120 members of the CEF have been meeting in Lourdes since Thursday for their autumn plenary meeting.
The aim is, among other things, to develop “concrete proposals” to improve communication and transparency of canonical measures against clergy involved in sexual abuse.
Source: DN
