France, the Vatican, and the Pan-Asian Sexual Abuse Scandals of MEP Missionaries
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Catholic Bishop Gilles Reithinger. A few days later, the Holy See confirmed the stepping down of the 51-year-old cleric. No explanation was given for this unusual departure, but the prelate is embroiled in numerous allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by French missionaries across all of Asia.
In a documentary released by France 24 in September 2023, “A Deafening Silence,” Father Philippe, a French priest in Japan who is himself accused of sexual abuse, confessed that he had sexual relations with his ecclesial supervisor, Reithinger. This occurred years ago when Philippe was studying in Paris. Later the young missionary was sent to Japan while Reithinger became the superior of the French missionary society, the Missions Etrangères de Paris (MEP) – a prestigious Catholic organization operating across all of Asia. A dozen Asian countries host MEP missionaries.
Given all these allegations, the resignation of Gilles Reithinger was not a surprise. Yet, the French Bishops’ conference released a press statement suggesting that medical issues were behind his sudden departure. Without a word about the pan-Asian accusations affecting the MEP, the French bishops wished a prompt recovery to their colleague. Meanwhile, the French press revealed that Reithinger is now resting in a four-star spa-hotel in Mulhouse.
The Catholic missionary organization is worth at least 1.5 billion euros – but probably more. The scope of their wealth remains secret, even to most of their members. The headquarters of the organization is a luxurious property in central Paris. It has the largest private garden of the French capital, and its value is estimated at around 1 billion euros.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/france-t...sionaries/
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Catholic Bishop Gilles Reithinger. A few days later, the Holy See confirmed the stepping down of the 51-year-old cleric. No explanation was given for this unusual departure, but the prelate is embroiled in numerous allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by French missionaries across all of Asia.
In a documentary released by France 24 in September 2023, “A Deafening Silence,” Father Philippe, a French priest in Japan who is himself accused of sexual abuse, confessed that he had sexual relations with his ecclesial supervisor, Reithinger. This occurred years ago when Philippe was studying in Paris. Later the young missionary was sent to Japan while Reithinger became the superior of the French missionary society, the Missions Etrangères de Paris (MEP) – a prestigious Catholic organization operating across all of Asia. A dozen Asian countries host MEP missionaries.
Given all these allegations, the resignation of Gilles Reithinger was not a surprise. Yet, the French Bishops’ conference released a press statement suggesting that medical issues were behind his sudden departure. Without a word about the pan-Asian accusations affecting the MEP, the French bishops wished a prompt recovery to their colleague. Meanwhile, the French press revealed that Reithinger is now resting in a four-star spa-hotel in Mulhouse.
The Catholic missionary organization is worth at least 1.5 billion euros – but probably more. The scope of their wealth remains secret, even to most of their members. The headquarters of the organization is a luxurious property in central Paris. It has the largest private garden of the French capital, and its value is estimated at around 1 billion euros.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/france-t...sionaries/
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
