The bishop of Bayonne expresses his “shame” in the face of violence, and his “solidarity” with the victims

The bishop of Bayonne, M^gr Marc Aillet, expressed his ” shame “Thursday, March 13, faced with the multiple denunciations of physical and sexual violence in Catholic establishments in the diocese, including that of Notre-Dame de Betharram (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), ensuring that they have discovered these facts in the press.

“The Church has already expressed its shame several times and I do it today [jeudi] »»said Mr.^gr Aillet, expressing his “Solidarity with the victims”during a press conference organized with a representative of the Congregation of Betharram and the head of Catholic education in the diocese, disturbed by a child rights activist.

Arnaud Gallais, co -founder of Mouv’enfants, association of victims of sexual violence, accused the Church of “Refuse to open your archives” and denounced the ” lies “ of the institution on his ignorance of physical and sexual violence in Catholic establishments in the region.

“Everyone knew here. I was in small villages and everyone said: “Betharram, everyone knew” “he launched his raised fist, gloved with white, standing on the platform in front of the representatives of the Catholic Church. “Stop telling us that you find out (…) You have blood on your hands “he added.

A call for transparency and action

“I hear your anger, your suffering”replied M^gr Aillet, who praised “Liberation of speech” After “A law of omerta generalized in the Church and society” during “Decades”but kept having learned “By the press” The accusations of violence committed to Lestelle-Bétharram and in another private college of his diocese, in Ustaritz, where facts have been denounced without filing a complaint so far.

At his side, the Diocesan Director of Catholic Education, Vincent Destais, said he sent “A letter to all school heads” For “Receive all past victims”welcome their words and “Encourage complaint”.

“Our feeling of shame, suffering and compassion” East “Collective”assured this manager of 132 establishments welcoming 29,000 students today. “We need to understand (…) Because it is out of the question that it happens again ”he insisted.

For his part, Father Laurent Bacho, responsible for the Congregation Listening Cell, said “Farfful” And “Stunned” of the “Massive facts” And “Unimaginable” clerk in Betharram, evoking a “Blindness” of his peers. Meetings with victims, at the end of November in Pau, and the decisions to launch a repair process “Were able to appear late” but “Using us in a difficult path” Who “Can bring a calm” And “A point of reconstruction to the victims”estimated the religious.

“Posting any contact with children to Father Lamasse”

“Conservatory measures have been taken to prevent any ministry, any contact with children to Father Lamasse, who can no longer say publicly mass”said in front of the press M^gr Marc Aillet. Father Henri Lamasse, 94, was placed in police custody, in mid-February, as part of the judicial inquiry, and released without being prosecuted, due to the prescription of the facts that were accused of-including one that he recognized-going back to half a century. This ban on “Saying mass” is conservatory.

At the end of the press conference, Gilles Parent, who denounced physical violence in Ustaritz in the 1970s, said he was ” satisfied “ exchanges.

“My goal is that the victims can speak. I asked M^gr Aillet that he appeals and he did it ”told the France-Presse this library employee in Bayonne 63 years old.

The Facebook group he launched, on the model of that of the alumni of Betharram, brings together a hundred victims to date who denounce the “Holling up of the wooden rule”on which the students had to stay on their knees if they made mistakes by reciting their lessons.