Justice has opened an investigation after the confessions of Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, who on Monday 7 November admitted a behavior “reprehensible” against a teenager, thirty-five years ago in Marseille, he announced the accusation on Tuesday 8 November.
“An investigation has been started to verify the elements of this” revelation “”, pointed out the public prosecutor of Marseille, Dominique Laurens, specifying it“no complaints” has not yet been filed. On October 24, the bishop of Nice had initiated a legal action against Cardinal Ricard, the Marseille prosecutor’s office announced Tuesday in a press release.
Prescribed facts
The facts are probably prescribed, but justice has nevertheless opened a preliminary investigation, the first phase of a criminal investigation aimed at enlightening the prosecutor on the merits of a possible trial. It must establish the commission or attempted commission of a crime. It may involve the opening of a judicial investigation and the appointment of an investigating judge if the facts are proven and not prescribed, or dismissal without further action in the opposite case.
In this case, this investigation will have to determine in particular whether there are other possible victims of the cardinal. Since Monday the diocese of Marseille has published a statement in which it remembers “That any person, witness or victim of abuse or inappropriate behavior, coming from a member of the clergy or a pastoral agent, can be heard by the diocesan listening cell”.
Cardinal Ricardo «He places himself at the disposal of justice and the Church. He wants to tell the truth, he will not shirk. For the moment, the victim has not filed a complaint. Christophe Disdier-Chave, diocesan administrator of Digne, where the 78-year-old prelate is retired, indicated his part on Tuesday.
“Available to justice”
On Monday the president of the Bishops’ Conference of France, Msgr. Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, read a text by the Archbishop Emeritus of Bordeaux, on the sidelines of the Plenary Assembly, in Lourdes. “My behavior has necessarily caused serious and lasting consequences for this person”he recognized Cardinal Ricard in this text, adding that he had decided “do not be silent” in the situation.
The former president of the EFC, from 2001 to 2007, “ask forgiveness” to the victim “as well as his whole family”. “It is for these acts that I decide to take a time of retreat and prayer”He said.
