The Cross : Can you introduce yourself? How did you personally discover the subject of sexual violence in the Church?
Natalia Trouiller: I am married, mother of three children. This is the heart of the profession (Laughs). I was a journalist in the Catholic press and I am also an author. In 2013, I was asked to direct communications for the diocese of Lyon, where I spent two wonderful years. In 2015, I fell ill and gradually stopped working. The following year the issue of sexual violence in the Church emerged with the start of the Preynat affair in my diocese.
It shocked me, but it didn’t immediately become a fight. I even defended Cardinal Barbarin, finding it unfair that he became the symbol of absolute evil, even going beyond the case of the pedophile Bernard Preynat. But the Ciase report in 2021 was like an uppercut. There, I understood that we had to roll up our sleeves. On Twitter, I started talking about the suffering of the victims and little by little, I collected their testimonies.
What work do you do today with victims of sexual and spiritual violence in the Catholic Church?
N. T. : I quickly realized that listening alone was not enough. These people testified not only to the violence suffered, but also to the lack of an adequate response from the Church. It’s terrifying, because if, obviously, coming across a predator can happen anywhere, in the Church, the victim then suffers a succession of additional punishments. Canonical justice is more concerned with the salvation of the priest than that of the victim, who is often left in ignorance and sometimes excluded from the community.
My work consists first of all in companionship: I maintain contact, I get news, even when recourse seems exhausted. This support is essential to break their loneliness. Then, I try to meet the specific needs of each person. I help them navigate the legal-ecclesial maze. Canonical tribunal, lawyer or psychologist… I try, with a team of lay people who help me on a daily basis, to do tailor-made solutions.
How do you observe the progress made by the institutional Church since the Sauvé report was submitted in 2021?
N. T. : The publication of the Sauvé report was absolutely essential for us to understand that abuse in the Church was a systemic phenomenon, on a large scale. But the problem that I see today is that many rely on a performative vision of the Sauvé report, as if because it had taken place, everything was now going well in the dioceses, that there was no longer any ‘abuse. However, there will always be abuses. So the question is what processes do we put in place so that, when there is abuse, it is immediately dealt with in such a professional manner that this abuse does not generate others and that the abuser is neutralized.
Specifically, in recent years numerous cases of abuse have emerged after priests sanctioned for initial aggression or borderline behavior, but not dismissed from the clerical state, were returned to positions where they could cause other victims. . How to act on this?
N. T. : I don’t have all the answers, far from it. But I think there is a dangerous illusion that we absolutely must fight against in the Church: I often hear that it is better for abusers to remain priests because, at least, the Church could monitor them. But this is absolutely false. The Church does not have the means to monitor an aggressor, nor to counter a manipulator. Bishops and priests are not prison guards, they are not trained for that. This is a responsibility they cannot shoulder.
Too often, priests are placed in positions that are a little less exposed, where, unbeknownst to the entire community, they are not supposed to see women or children, nor provide support, but ultimately this turns into a recidivism. The Church must realize that it has neither the means nor the skills to control an aggressor or a manipulator. If it wants to make its sanctions minimally effective, it will not be able to escape the debate on their publication. Transparency is the ally of respect for the sanctions imposed by the Church and the protection of the faithful.
Similarly, in recent months the news has revealed that several abusive priests had been ordained by their bishop despite the disapproval of their seminary council. Is this a common problem?
N. T. : Of course. We have bishops, and I understand them, who are in dioceses which are untenable in the literal sense of the term. Too many bell towers, too many charges. They have immense pressure to have priests. So the temptation to put up with borderline, or even problematic, profiles is great. Instead of chasing numbers, I would like us to launch a real theological reflection on this desert that we are crossing as a Church.
What progress have you observed in the fight against sexual violence in the Church?
N. T. : I see two major ones: the creation of the national canonical criminal court (TPCN) and the reparation commissions. The TPCN is an important step forward. This makes it possible to relocate the affairs of the dioceses, which was absolutely essential, but also because it is now trained penal canonists who take care of the cases, and when they judge, they do it well, but at a slow pace because they lack means.
On the reparation commissions, at the CRR – which deals with cases relating to people abused by members of a religious congregation – this goes very well when the communities are voluntary. When they are not, it can be a new way of the cross. The Inirr – the reparation body for minor victims of diocesan priests – is a great success. They put in place processes that didn’t even exist elsewhere, putting the traumatized person at the center. I say “hat”. And if the future repair body could be inspired by their processes, that would be great.
How exactly does the Church approach sexual and spiritual violence against adults?
N. T. : There is, in the Church, the idea that abuse of adults is not really abuse because, basically, adults have the means to express non-consent, unlike children. This is true, but it completely ignores the mechanisms of spiritual control which systematically precede each sexual assault. Sexual violence is often the last link in the chain of gaining power over others. Another preconceived idea: the consequences on the lives of adults attacked would be less serious. But asking the question like that is starting from the victim to try to assess their harm. Now, we must start from God.
Is it serious, in general, to use God to manipulate the most sacred intimacy of people, whether they are adults or children? My answer is yes, it is very serious. Afterwards, the consequences are different, but even though we are adults, when we place our trust in a man of God, we are like a child with its mother. We trust completely, we surrender, and we abandon the most sacred part of ourselves. And this most sacred part is defiled, trampled. And whether you’re a child or an adult, it’s abominable. There are going to be absolutely devastating consequences.
What, for you, is the main issue on which the Church must move forward to be credible in the treatment and prevention of sexual violence?
N. T. : The Church must move from reactive to proactive. We must stop simply reacting to scandals and publishing press releases like “We learn with dismay that Father So-and-so…”. Whereas two months later, we ended up learning that many officials already knew about the file and waited for the scandal to break out in the press to deplore it.
As soon as a potential victim comes forward, or is known, a call for witnesses should be launched. And yes, it is possible to launch calls for witnesses, while respecting the presumption of innocence. It is also crucial to ensure concrete support for victims: access to the bishop, coverage of care and lawyer costs. It is by acting proactively and coherently that the Church will be able to regain its credibility in the fight against abuse.