Six months on probation

Six months on probation

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin © Jean-Matthieu Gautier (KNA)

Bang for the buck in France: Cardinal Philippe Barbarin has been sentenced to six months in prison on probation in trial for covering up abuse allegations. Now he announces his resignation as archbishop of Lyon.

French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin has been sentenced to six months probation for failing to report sexual assaults. This decision was announced by the judges on Thursday in Lyon.

The archbishop of Lyon has had to stand trial along with six other clergy since early January. According to the newspaper "La Croix", the priest Bernard Preynat allegedly abused up to 70 children in the archdiocese of Lyon in the 1970s.

Following his conviction, France's highest Catholic dignitary has announced his resignation. He will submit this to the Pope, announced Cardinal Philippe Barbarin.

Lawyers want to appeal

Barbarin, who has been archbishop of the French diocese since 2002, denied during the trial that he knew about the abuse. "I don't see what I'm supposed to be guilty of," Barbarin said in early January. The 68-year-old cardinal's lawyers announced they would appeal the verdict.

The trial in Lyon was initiated by the victims' association "La Parole Liberee". Ten members, former Boy Scouts and alleged abuse victims of priest Preynat, appear as joint plaintiffs. In France, all citizens are required by law to report suspected cases of sexual violence against minors to the judiciary.

Barbarin said he first learned of the incidents in 2014, when alleged victim Alexandre Hezez contacted him. But information after one meeting was "vague," Barbarin said.

Barbarin has already been investigated

Barbarin had already been investigated in 2016 for failing to report sexual assaults by the same priest. At the time, prosecutors dropped the case after a few months; there had been no evidence that the cardinal had committed a crime.

In France, two bishops were already given suspended sentences in 2001 and 2018 for failing to report assaults.

In January, the public prosecutor's office had opposed a conviction of the cardinal. "Some of the acts are time-barred, and for those that are not time-barred, no crime can be established," a prosecutor was quoted as saying.

Several of those affected had testified in court, stressing that they were not concerned with "revenge" but that "these people from the church see my suffering". Christian Burdet, who was allegedly abused at age 11, said the defendants "could have cut short my suffering if they had disclosed the acts".

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Christina Cherry
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