French abuse victims press lawsuit against Cardinal Barbarin, other bishops
May 24, 2017
Sex-abuse victims in France have filed a lawsuit against several Catholic prelates, charging that they failed to report abuse by a priest.
Last year French prosecutors decided not to bring criminal charges against the prelates for their alleged failure to report the complaints against Father Bernard Preynat, who is accused of molesting boys involved in a scout troop between 1978 and 1991. But representatives of the victims have chosen to bring civil case, hoping to raise awareness of the issue. They are also pressing for an extension of the statute of limitations, which could allow for criminal charges.
Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon has been the main focus of complaints, although he assumed authority in Lyon more than a decade after the reported abuse, and initiated an investigation that led to the suspension of Father Preynat as soon as he was informed of the priest’s record of abuse.
Cardinal Barbarin is one of the defendants in the lawsuit. Also named are Archbishop Maurice Gardes of Auch, Bishop Thierry Brac de la Perriere of Nevers, and Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, the secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
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Posted by: [email protected] -
May. 25, 2017 9:45 PM ET USA
The Cardinal is but a strawman to see how far these " representatives " can go. At this point they really don't want to have justice but revenge on the Church.
