Overview

• Investigative journalists Laetitia Cherel and Marie-France Etchegoin uncovered archival documents showing the Vatican knew of Abbé Pierre’s abusive behavior starting in 1955.
• A judicial inquiry launched by the Vatican’s Saint-Office in 1955 was blocked and closed by French bishops in 1957, suppressing evidence of his misconduct.
• Abbé Pierre, once celebrated as a humanitarian icon, is now accused of 57 cases of sexual abuse, with 35 corroborated through cross-referencing his schedule.
• The revelations have severely impacted the Fondation Abbé Pierre, causing a 30% drop in donations from the public.
• The findings also highlight Abbé Pierre’s problematic history, including anti-Semitic remarks made in 1944, further complicating his legacy.