Victims' group accuses Jesuits in France of concealing abuse to protect their image

The Collective of Victims of Sexual Abuse by Jesuits (Covijes) published a report on Monday, November 9, accusing the Society of Jesus of applying a "double standard" in its handling of sexual abuse committed by members of the order. The document, titled "The management of sexual abuse among the Jesuits, or the art of the double standard," says the order communicates selectively depending on how much media attention a case attracts, and describes its financial handling of more than 1 million euros from a dissolved charity as opaque.

Covijes was founded by Roland Tran Van and Jean-Pierre Martin-Vallas, both of whom were sexually abused as children. The group says the French-speaking Jesuit Province of Western Europe, which covers mainly France and French-speaking Belgium, puts the protection of its public image ahead of effectively and consistently recognizing those who were abused. The report's conclusion states: "The Society of Jesus is not seeking the truth: it manages reputational risks."

Outdated figures and selective handling

One of the central complaints is that the order's official statistics have not been updated. According to the most recent public figures from the congregation, 129 Jesuits had been named as alleged abusers since 1949, 109 of whom had died. Covijes says the order's leaders have not reviewed or released updated figures since November 15, 2024.

The group compares the handling of recent cases, among them those of Jean Naramoutou, Pierre Molinié and Gaël Giraud, with older files involving priests who have died. It concludes that the Jesuits act quickly when the legal or media risk is high but are far more closed when the events date back decades. Covijes also alleges "anonymity and sabotage of the calls" for testimony, a charge that questions how certain names came to be made public.

One million euros and the Montcheuil Foundation

The second line of the report concerns finances. It revisits the case of the association Les Liens Brisés, or The Broken Ties, created in 1954 to care for abandoned children and children in difficulty. Its founder, Father Louis Mouren, who died in 1985, was named by Roland Tran Van as the man who abused him as a child. In March 2023 the Jesuits issued a public appeal for testimony about Mouren but did not name him at the time; his identity was disclosed later. Not until February 20, 2025 did the congregation issue a statement naming him, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations and expressing shame at the failure of the superiors at the time to stop the abuse.

When Les Liens Brisés was dissolved in 2013, its assets, which its annual accounts put at more than 1 million euros, are said to have passed to the Montcheuil Foundation, a body linked to the Jesuits. But when compensation was agreed for a victim in 2023, the payment was reportedly made directly by the Society of Jesus rather than by the foundation that received those assets. Covijes calls this "the financial and accounting double game" of the order and is demanding an explanation of where the money went. The difference in who paid does not by itself establish any diversion of funds or accounting irregularity, and the foundation's legal obligations and the terms on which the compensation was set cannot be examined here.

Covijes also names Father René Bernard, who succeeded Mouren at the head of the association and is accused of sexually assaulting young women in its care. The group says that keeping the names of the priests involved secret risks leaving other victims unable to identify their abusers and unwilling to come forward.

Abuse in India: priest under investigation in two cases

The clerical abuse crisis is not confined to the Jesuits or to Europe. In India, police in the state of Karnataka have registered a second criminal case against Catholic priest Cyprian Pinto, pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Valencia. Pinto was first arrested on October 18 after being accused of abusing a 14-year-old who came to pray at his parish. The new case, announced by Mangaluru police on November 9, concerns the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old on May 13, when Pinto was pastor of St. Sebastian Church in Permannur.

Pinto, 65, was transferred to Valencia on May 26 after six years of service in Permannur. Following his first arrest he was released on bail after being held in judicial custody until October 30. A spokesman for the Diocese of Mangalore, Roy Castelino, confirmed that Pinto has not been arrested in connection with the second case and that he remains at home receiving medical treatment, suspended from parish duties. The diocese has sent a report on the allegations to the Vatican.

Child rights activist Stanly KV said eight minors allegedly abused by Pinto took their complaints to Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha of Mangalore in August of this year, and that five of them gave the bishop individual letters describing the abuse. Stanly called for Saldanha to be charged in the case for failing to inform police for two months, and said four other minors who were prepared to file complaints are being pressured to stay silent. Robert Rosario, a member of the Association of Concerned Catholics in Mangaluru, said Pinto has been a priest since 1988 and that three successive bishops knew of his conduct and took no action beyond moving him from parish to parish.

Pope Leo XIV meets victims in Argentina

Pope Leo XIV, who is currently visiting Latin America, met for more than an hour in Argentina with five victims of clerical abuse. According to the Vatican, he listened to "their words, their painful stories and their proposals for strengthening paths of healing within the Church." A similar meeting with six victims took place in Madrid in June. His recent comments on the return flight from France, in which he described sexual abuse as "above all a human problem," have drawn controversy.