A preliminary investigation has been opened into a priest of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon concerning possible facts of “sexual assault”, we learned on Tuesday from a judicial source. This investigation follows a report from the diocese, which announced on Saturday in a press release that it had opened canonical proceedings against this priest for having “repeatedly failed in his commitment to priestly celibacy”.
A report from his diocese
The facts “concern adult women”, but, “for one of these situations, in view of the circumstances”, the bishop of the diocese decided to report to justice, specified the press release. The text, published jointly with the diocese of Port-Louis, in Mauritius, does not however specify these particular circumstances, but indicates that the priest “exerted his ministries in the Var and two years on Mauritius”, where he was born according to the daily Var-Morning.
The preliminary investigation is open for possible acts of “sexual assault by a person abusing the authority conferred by his functions”, said the Toulon prosecutor on Monday. However, he stressed that it “does not imply any presumption as to the nature of the facts and the legal qualifications which could be applied to them. Its purpose is to verify their reality and whether they are not prescribed”.
“Pending the outcome of both the civil and canonical investigation”, the bishop of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon “withdrew all public ministry” from the implicated priest, underlines the religious press release.