After harassment allegations: Abbot sees himself as a victim

Abbot Jean Scarcella (73), who was reprimanded by the Vatican for inappropriate behaviour, sees himself as the victim of a media campaign. Swiss television had staged a report to discredit his abbey, the abbot told the French-speaking Swiss newspaper "Le Nouvelliste" on Tuesday. However, the report also had a positive side, as it had forced the community to come to terms with the past, according to Scarcella.

Following allegations of harassment, the abbot of the traditional Swiss abbey of Saint-Maurice suspended his duties for 18 months. He returned to his post in March following a reprimand from Rome. Scarcella now emphasises his innocence in an interview - he has a clear conscience.

All doubts dispelled?

The umbrella organisation of the regional churches (RKZ) had criticised the decision to return to office: "If Abbot Jean Scarcella now interprets the legal decision to drop the proceedings against him and his confreres in the sense of a moral clearance, this is difficult to understand, especially from a man of the Church."

Scarcella responded to this criticism in an interview: "Why is the RCC demanding his resignation? Does this mean that it is placing itself above the public prosecutor's office? Does someone have to leave despite being rehabilitated? That contradicts my understanding of justice." The abbot emphasised that all doubts about him had been "dispelled by the civil and canonical proceedings". His return to office was therefore obvious.

The monk was accused of assaulting a young man. Following investigations, the public prosecutor's office in the canton of Valais discontinued all reported cases of allegations of sexual abuse against members of the abbey. In most cases, the reasons for this were the statute of limitations or the impossibility of proving the facts. This was also the case with Scarcella.

Scarcella's behaviour should nevertheless be condemned, decided the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops under the leadership of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost. This was because it demonstrated an attitude "that does not correspond to the caution expected of clerics in interpersonal relationships". In October, the Vatican reprimanded Scarcella for inappropriate behaviour towards a young man. At the same time, however, the bishop's dicastery declared that there was "no evidence of abuse or harassment in the strict sense".

Reprimand as an acquittal?

Scarcella compares this feedback from Rome to an acquittal. It is a peculiarity of canon law that is not understood outside the Church. The admonition is a preventative measure: "Although the error has not been proven, the Church says that if it had occurred, it should not happen again."

The Bern "Pfarrblatt" questions this interpretation. Several canon lawyers have confirmed that a canonical reprimand is comparable to a warning in labour law and is not issued lightly, but only if something significant has occurred, the Pfarrblatt said on Tuesday (online). Various cases from the past had shown this, in which Rome had not issued a reprimand despite extensive preliminary investigations.

Founded in the 6th century, Saint-Maurice Abbey is considered to be the oldest monastery in the West that has existed without interruption. It reports directly to the Pope. (KNA)