Pope names coadjutor bishop for troubled French diocese

August 20, 2025

Pope Leo XIV named Bishop Pierre-Antoine Bozo of Limoges, France, as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of La Rochelle.

As coadjutor, Bishop Bozo, 59, will eventually succeed Bishop Georges Colomb, MEP, 72, who was charged in 2023 with the attempted rape of an adult man. Bishop Colomb, who denies the allegation, is also under canonical investigation.

The rape attempt allegedly took place in 2013, during Colomb’s term (2010-2016) as superior general of the Society of Paris Foreign Missions. France 24 reported that “despite multiple warnings sent to his superiors, MEP priest Georges Colomb became bishop of La Rochelle in 2016”—raising the question of whether Pope Francis knew of the warnings when he appointed Colomb a bishop, or whether others failed to disclose the warnings to the Pontiff.

Since 2023, the Diocese of La Rochelle has been governed by an apostolic administrator, Bishop François Jacolin of Luzon.

 

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Further information:

• Rinunce e nomine (continuazione), 19.08.2025 (Vatican Press Office)
• French bishop charged with attempted rape of adult man (CWN, 11/21/23)
• French bishop under investigation for attempted rape was appointed in 2016 despite ‘multiple warnings’ (CWN, 9/15/23)
• Church in France reels from new abuse, cover-up allegations (CWN, 6/20/23)
• Mgr François Jacolin nommé administrateur apostolique sede plena du diocèse de La Rochelle (CEF, 6/22/23)