French prosecutor: no case against Cardinal Barbarin

July 12, 2017

A French prosecutor has cleared Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon of charges that he covered up evidence of sexual abuse.

The prosecutor recommended against any further action on the complaint against Cardinal Barbarin, “since the investigation did not demonstrate any criminal offense.” The prosecutor’s report noted when the cardinal was first informed of a sex-abuse charge against a priest of the archdiocese, he advised the victim to file a criminal complaint. There was no evidence that the cardinal sought to thwart a criminal investigation, the prosecutor concluded.

Cardinal Barbarin, who has been under heavy fire for months because of the complaint, welcomed the prosecutor’s finding, saying that it “brought a bit of truth and peace after passionate and sometimes defamatory polemics.”

 

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Further information:

• Pédophilie: nouveau classement sans suite pour le cardinal Barbarin (Cath.ch)
• French Cardinal Barbarin defends handling of abuse complaints (CWN, 4/19)