French Catholic archbishop admits inappropriate acts with young woman

A French former archbishop admitted Wednesday to "inappropriate acts" with a young woman several decades ago. The Strasbourg public prosecutor has confirmed that the authorities have opened an investigation into possible sex crimes.

Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet (L) in Strasbourg cathedral in 2007. © AFP/Frederick Florin

The confession by Jean-Pierre Grallet, 81, deepens a gathering storm around the French Catholic Church, already reeling after revelations of sexual abuse by senior clergy.

Grallet said in a statement that he "profoundly regretted" his actions in the 1980s when he "strayed" and "hurt someone" before being named archbishop of Strasbourg in eastern France in 2007.

He gave no further details, but the Strasbourg prosecutor's office confirmed that an investigation had been underway since January concerning "incidents of a sexual nature".

🔴 Le président de la Conférence des Evêques de France, Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, rend public un message de Mgr Jean-Pierre Grallet, archevêque émérite de Strasbourg, annonçant faire l'objet d'une enquête canonique et d'un signalement à la justice civile. pic.twitter.com/KOXtnls8VK

— Honorine Grasset (@HGrasset) November 16, 2022

The current archbishop of the city, Luc Ravel, said he had notified prosecutors after a woman approached him and outlined alleged abuse by Grallet.

Series of scandals in Catholic Church

Last week, the Bishops' Conference of France announced that 11 former or serving French bishops had been accused of sexual violence, including a cardinal who confessed to assaulting a minor more than three decades ago.

Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, a retired bishop of Bordeaux, admitted publicly to "reprehensible" acts with a 14-year-old girl in the 1980s.

Any criminal behaviour by Ricard and Grallet is likely to be deemed too long ago to allow prosecution under French law.

• French bishops recognise Church's 'institutional responsibility' for child abuse
• French Catholic Church in upheaval following sexual abuse revelations

The Church was rocked last year by a report that revealed the vast scale of abuse of minors by priests, deacons and lay members of the institution which insists on celibacy for its priests.

The inquiry found that 216,000 minors had been abused by clergy over the past seven decades, a number that climbed to 330,000 when claims against lay members of the Church were included, such as teachers at Catholic schools.

(with newswires)