The bishop of La Rochelle, Mgr Georges Colomb, discharged from his office since June, was indicted on Friday for attempted rape of an adult man. These facts would have taken place in 2013, indicated this Monday, the Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from Mediapart.
He was placed under judicial supervision, including a ban on coming into contact with the victim and witnesses, and appearing in certain places, said the same source. According to Mediapart, the man he is suspected of having attempted to rape was 40 years old at the time of the events.
“Allegations” denied “vigorously”
Mgr Georges Colomb, who wished to be “put aside” during this judicial investigation, has been relieved of his pastoral office since June. Pope Francis has appointed Mgr François Jacolin, bishop of Luçon (Vendée), as apostolic administrator of the diocese, while Mgr Colomb keeps the title of bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes.
The accused had requested his withdrawal after the revelation in the press, on June 13, of an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s office into “facts of a sexual nature” dating back to 2013, of which the prelate is suspected following ‘a report made by the Paris Foreign Missions (MEP). Former superior general of the MEP (2010-2016), Mgr Colomb then expressed “his amazement and incomprehension at these slanderous allegations”, denying them “vigorously”.
On May 6, the council of the MEP, a society of apostolic life under pontifical law, transmitted to the Paris prosecutor’s office a report, relayed on May 8 by the lawyers of the diocese of Paris, concerning him.
The conference of bishops has “confidence in justice”
“By reaffirming its confidence in justice, the Conference of Bishops expresses its concern for the person concerned and recalls the presumption of innocence to which Monsignor Colomb is legitimately entitled,” reacted the Conference of Bishops of France in a press release. “To those who will be troubled or hurt by this information, in particular within the diocese of La Rochelle and among the friends of the Foreign Missions of Paris, the Conference of Bishops expresses its closeness,” she added.
Gilles Reithinger, auxiliary bishop of Strasbourg, who succeeded Mgr Colomb at the head of the MEP from 2016 to 2021, was cited in press articles as having been aware, as early as 2013, of the accusations of sexual assault which allegedly took place at the Parisian headquarters of MEP, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Mgr Reithinger had denied having been informed, according to his remarks to The cross.