The French Catholic Church continues to face controversies with a priest from the Parish of Saint-Louis-Marie in Brocéliande indicted for “aggravated rape of a minor and drug abuse.” Archbishop Pierre d’Ornellas of Rennes expressed his sadness over the news over Father Yannick Poligné.

The Archbishop added that the victim of the clerical sexual abuse has the full support and compassion of the church. He added that the people who followed the priest felt betrayed by the turn of events and that he will take the time to meet with the parishioners to address them.

Apart from the visit by the archbishop, he also promised that the Catholic Church will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure a speedy investigation of the authorities. Further, the archbishop also reported the case to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith for the necessary actions.

Yannick Poligné Case

Cruxnow reported that the priest met with the 15-year-old through a dating app where they decided to meet at a hotel in Paris. The priest would then allegedly offer drugs and have sexual intercourse with the young girl. Poligné was arrested and indicted on charges of aggravated rape of a minor and drug use. The article also said that he is suspected of giving the drugs to the teenager without any knowledge or consent.

This comes as a shock to the community served by Poligné as the priest has been known to work for l’Arche, a community dedicated to giving care to intellectually disabled adults. He has also years of experience when it comes to [pastoral work, with the priest ordained as early as 1999.
Also Read: Top 5 Issues Hounding Today’s Catholic Church 

Issues of Clerical Sexual Abuse with the French Catholic Church

The AP News reported last year about the report that unveiled the approximately 330,000 children, victims of French Catholic Churches, over the span of seven decades. The report had a list of known priests and people working for the church who either committed or covered up sexual abuse.

France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research reported that almost two-thirds of the victims were abused by priests. It added that about 80% of the victims of the church are boys.

Earlier this month, the French Church even added more cases of abuse when it unveiled a total of 11 cases. These cases included Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard who admitted to abusing a 14-year-old girl more than three decades ago.

The Guardian reported that Ricard said, ‘There is no doubt that my behavior caused serious and long-lasting consequences for that person.” With the revelations, Ricard is expected to tender his resignation.

Pope Francis vs Clerical Sexual Abuse

The Washington Post reported on the address that Pope Francis gave on his way back to the Vatican from his trip to the Middle East. In his address, the Pope said that the Catholic Church is adopting a ‘zero tolerance policy’ when it comes to offenders.

Additionally, the Pope even pushed for amendments to canonical laws for tighter scrutiny against offenders. Previously, offenders are only given suspensions. With the amendments, they can now be stripped of their office.

Related Articles: Pope Francis Says the Catholic Church is Continuing the Fight Against Clerical Child Abuse