Ex-bishop Bernard Genoud accused of sexual misconduct
Published: Monday, Dec 11th 2023, 13:20
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 12th 2023, 00:58
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Bernard Genoud, the former Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg who died in 2010, is accused of sexual acts with a 19-year-old woman. It is the first time that a person of this rank has been targeted.
Bishop Charles Morerod, Genoud's successor at the head of the diocese, informed the media in Fribourg on Monday about a case that adds a new dimension to cases of abuse in the Church.
The victim, plagued by "great suffering", wanted to remain anonymous, also with regard to the period in which the crimes took place.
Bishop Morerod had launched an appeal for witnesses after receiving the testimony of the woman who had been sexually abused by Genoud (1942-2010). The incidents dated back to the time when Genoud was a philosophy professor at the Collège du Sud in Bulle. The victim had spoken to Bishop Morerod about the case for the first time on December 1.
A friend of the parents
The woman was a student of Genoud's at the school in Gruyère. She had confided in the priest, a friend of her parents, that she had already been the victim of abuse outside the church in her childhood, said Charles Morerod. Bishop Genoud had taken advantage of this situation. The acts had been repeated in several places.
When the victim confided in him, she was able to free herself from a heavy burden, "even if this step is very painful for her", said the bishop, who was himself a former student of Genoud. Morerod asked that her wish for discretion be respected.
Genoud was ordained a priest in 1968. He taught at various schools from 1976 to 2006 and also worked as a pastor. Between 1996 and 1999, he also worked at the University of Fribourg.
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Genoud served as bishop of the diocese from 1999 until his death in 2010. There is a long list of schools where there could still be many potential victims, said Bishop Morerod. The aim is to "find the truth".
Morerod emphasized that he believed the victim in view of her very poor condition. The dependency had developed over several years and the relationship had been asymmetrical.
Although Bishop Genoud is no longer here to explain himself, "it is the task of the Church not to leave the suffering of the victims unanswered", the acting bishop added. For there are people who "suffer deeply under the burden of an unbearable silence". Bishop Morerod invited them all to make a statement.
According to a statement from the diocese, those affected can turn to the Commission for the Hearing of Victims of Sexual Abuse in the Church Environment (CASCE).
Morerod was also astonished by the activity of his predecessor: "I noticed that he had contacts with female students and former female students".
Over 1000 cases
A witness statement published on Monday now offers a completely new perspective on the cases of abuse in the Catholic Church. It follows the publication of the University of Zurich's study on the subject on September 12.
The study identified more than 1000 cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Switzerland since the middle of the last century. The sexual assaults were committed by more than 500 suspects.
The acting bishop has so far met with around 60 other victims. This shows the extent of the abuse. Speaking out freely requires "trust" so that you can finally share what you have experienced yourself, the bishop continued.
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