Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1960-2007 · 47 years · show in timeline

Abbé Pierre 1960 to the 2000s: Emmaus publishes 33 testimonies of sexual violence by the priest and founder of the movement, including against minors

Abbé Pierre, Catholic priest and founder of the Emmaus movement, who died in 2007, was for decades considered one of the most popular people in France. From 2024 Emmaus International, Emmaus France and the Abbé Pierre Foundation published reports by the consultancy Groupe Egaé, which collected testimonies of sexual violence by him. The third report of January 2025 added 9 more testimonies to the 24 already published, about acts against minor and adult women from the 1960s into the 2000s; further accounts concern boys. According to the report Abbé Pierre had used means to silence victims; he advised one father not to press charges over an assault on his son. According to Egaé the testimonies are not exhaustive and have not been examined by a court.

Period
1960-2007 (47 years)
Country
France
Institutions
Emmaus International
Emmaus France
Abbé Pierre Foundation
Category
Sexual abuse
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Abbé Pierre (Henri Grouès) (Catholic priest, founder of the Emmaus movement, died in 2007; perpetrator according to collected testimonies)

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. The 9 new testimonies concern sexual assaults on minor and adult women from the 1960s into the 2000s, mostly unwanted touching of the breasts or forced kissing; one concerns an underage boy. Those affected included hotel employees, carers in hospitals where he was treated, helpers at youth camps and family members. According to the report many were vulnerable because of their age, a pregnancy or their position of service. Further accounts concern two boys aged 8 to 10 before 1965; these could not yet be linked to known facts of his life.
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Testimonies
    „involving sexual abuse committed by Abbé Pierre on both minor and adult women“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Testimonies. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Testimonies
    „The incidents described took place from the 1960s until 2000s, most of the time in France and sometimes abroad.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Testimonies. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Testimonies
    „One testimony reports sexual abuse of a boy who was a minor.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Testimonies. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge
    „A large number of victims were in vulnerable situations when the incidents occurred“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Other information received
    „Two accounts relate specifically to two boys aged between 8 and 10 at the time the incidents occurred, which took place over periods prior to 1965.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Other information received. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. In July 2024 Emmaus International, Emmaus France and the Abbé Pierre Foundation commissioned Groupe Egaé to set up a listening and testimony service after publishing acts of abuse by Abbé Pierre. The first report appeared on 17 July 2024, the second on 6 September 2024. The third, presented in January 2025, contains 9 testimonies of sexual abuse in addition to the 24 already published. Egaé stresses that the testimonies do not allow an exhaustive account of Abbé Pierre's conduct.
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Introduction
    „In July 2024, Groupe Egaé was appointed by Emmaus International, Emmaus France and the Abbé Pierre Foundation“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Introduction. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Introduction
    „This summary presents 9 testimonies of sexual abuse committed by Abbé Pierre. These 9 accounts are in addition to the 24 already published“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Introduction. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Introduction
    „these testimonies in no way enable us to draw up an exhaustive report on Abbé Pierre’s conduct“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Introduction. Original

Background

Response of the Church

  1. According to the report Abbé Pierre had used means to silence victims, in particular threatening language and behaviour; he told a minor that he was very powerful and that no one would believe her. In a letter he advised a community leader, whose nine-year-old son had been sexually assaulted by a young man staying at the community, against pressing charges. Another community leader who raised indications of sexual misconduct by a manager in the 1980s says he was humiliated by Abbé Pierre, who refused to act.
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge
    „It appears in these testimonies that Abbé Pierre had put in place systems to silence victims, in particular by using threatening language or behaviour.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge
    „He told me that he is very powerful, people love him and that I should never, ever tell anyone“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Elements that emerge. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Other information received
    „In one of the letters, appended to this report, Abbé Pierre dissuades the child’s father from bringing charges against P.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Other information received. Original
    Evidence: Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre, Other information received
    „He reported being humiliated by Abbé Pierre during the meeting, who explained that he knew nothing about it and refused to act.“
    Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, Other information received. Original

Original documents to read

  1. Commission report
    Groupe Egaé im Auftrag von Emmaus International, Emmaus France und Fondation Abbé Pierre: Listening support service and system for gathering testimonies, third report on the conduct of Abbé Pierre, 13 January 2025. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.