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Abuse from Saint-Maurice to Saint-Charles
A Jura element is added to the case of sexual abuse committed by Valaisan canons.
- by
- Vincent Donzé
A Valaisan canon spent eight years at Saint-Charles College in Porrentruy (JU).
lematin.ch/Vincent Donzé
In light of the abuse revealed by the show “Mise au Point,” there is a case of a canon from the Abbey of Saint-Maurice (VS) who confessed to committing sexual acts against children at Saint-Charles College in Porrentruy (JU). This aspect of the case has been referred to the Jura Public Ministry. It is a concern for the citizens and deputies of this canton.
According to “Le Quotidien Jurassien,” it was a canon of Swiss German origin transferred to Porrentruy in 1972 who allegedly abused two boys while working as a teacher and supervisor of the boarding school. Apart from eight years at Saint-Charles College, until 1980, he taught at Saint-Maurice until his retirement in 2014.
Between 1939 and 1977
“Le Quotidien Jurassien” recalls that for half a century, teaching at Saint-Charles was entrusted to Valaisan canons. Between 1939 and 1977, many Jura students even spent their final year at Saint-Maurice, as Saint-Charles could only award cantonal baccalaureate diplomas.
Last Wednesday, in response to an interpellation by an independent Christian-Socialist deputy, Jura Minister Nathalie Barthoulot mentioned three cases of abuse within the Church reported to the Jura Public Ministry.
During her catechism
In addition to the Swiss German canon, a case culminated in the recent conviction of a pastoral worker, and another involves abuse committed against a teenager during her catechism forty years ago.
“Only the liberation of speech will enable us to fight this unacceptable scourge,” said the Minister Nathalie Barthoulot to Parliament, encouraging victims to seek help from the police, a prosecutor, or the “Lavi” counseling center.
