Victims had criticised Abbot Scarcella being restored to office by the Vatican after 17 months of canonical investigation.

Cathcon:  As far as I can make out the one allegation specifically against the Abbot was 30 years old and could not be taken further by the Prosecutors Office because of the statute of limitations.   The ground for his resignation was the publication of the report on the 20th June.

"Pleased with the trust": Jean Scarcella is Abbot of Saint-Maurice again

Jean Scarcella has received the "nihil obstat" from the Dicastery of Bishops to serve as Abbot of Saint-Maurice again. He resumed his duties last Sunday. This marks the end of the interim leadership of Apostolic Administrator Jean-Michel Girard.

Jean Scarcella resumed his duties as Abbot of Saint-Maurice on this first Sunday of Lent. He voluntarily stepped down 17 months ago to allow the ongoing canonical investigation against him to take place under favorable conditions. The abbey announced this on Tuesday.

Invitation to the Vatican

At the invitation of the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Jean Scarcella and Apostolic Administrator Jean-Michel Girard traveled to the Vatican on February 13, 2025.

There they met with the prelate, who gave them his consent for Abbot Jean to assume his office and the administrator's term of office to end. The content of the Dicastery's letter dated March 6, 2025, which was sent to the person concerned by the Apostolic Nuncio, therefore states that "taking into account the conclusion of the investigations conducted by the competent public prosecutor's office, [the Dicastery] grants you the 'nihil obstat' to resume your duties as abbot."

Abbey reorganizes itself

The abbey can thus once again establish its own organization and make the necessary appointments. The independent working group of historians, led by Pierre Aubert, is continuing its process of examining the Abbey's past. Efforts to prevent it will also be maintained.

"I accept the trust of the Holy See with joy."

In announcing the Holy See's letter, Archbishop Jean Scarcella said: "I joyfully accept the trust of the Holy See in allowing me to resume my duties as abbot, and I thank my community for their unwavering support."

The Abbey of Saint-Maurice

At the same time, he asked the faithful of the abbey territory to understand his confusion at being the subject of a trial that could give rise to doubt and suspicion. He also called for the unity of the local Church – based on the common faith in Jesus Christ. May this facilitate the Jubilee of Hope that the universal Church is celebrating together.

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Background

Victims' organizations criticize Abbot Scarcella: "Cultural change looks different"

The abbot of the Saint-Maurice monastery retains the Vatican's trust – even though Rome reprimanded the cleric following allegations of harassment. Victims' organizations speak of a setback.

Victims of abuse in Switzerland have reacted with outrage to the return of Abbot of Saint-Maurice, Jean Scarcella, to his office. Scarcella was reprimanded by the Vatican following allegations of harassment, but was allowed to resume leadership of the historic monastery last Sunday.

"Cultural change definitely looks different! Trust cannot be built this way!" said a joint statement on Thursday from the three victim organizations IG-MikU (German-speaking Switzerland), SAPEC (French-speaking Switzerland), and GAVA (Ticino).

Scarcella's return was hurtful for victims of abuse and a setback for all those church members who were sincerely working toward such a cultural change in dealing with sexual assault.

Proceedings discontinued due to statute of limitations

The associations of victims emphasized that the Office of the Attorney General of the Canton of Valais had expressly ordered the discontinuation of various proceedings surrounding the Abbey of Saint-Maurice 2024 due to the statute of limitations, "not because the allegations were unfounded." It was therefore inexplicable that Scarcella interpreted the discontinuation of the investigation against him as an acknowledgment of his moral innocence.

"Abbot Scarcella could have set a trust-building example by not resuming his office."

Scarcella demonstrates calmness

The 73-year-old expressed relief after the Vatican's decision was announced: "I joyfully accept the trust of the Holy See, which allows me to resume my duties as abbot, and I thank my community for their unwavering support," Scarcella said, according to a statement from the abbey on Tuesday.

The Swiss Bishops' Conference, to which Scarcella now rejoins as territorial abbot, responded with a brief statement on Wednesday. It stated that it had "taken note" of the Vatican's decision.

Representatives of the umbrella organization of the cantonal churches, however, criticized the move. "In view of the publicly available information about the abbot and various members of the Abbey of St. Maurice in Lower Valais, we regret that Abbot Jean Scarcella has decided to resume his office," write Roland Loos, President of the RKZ, and Urs Brosi, Secretary General of the RKZ, in a joint press release.

"On the one hand, many people, especially in French-speaking Switzerland, are uncomfortable with the shrugging off of responsibility. On the other hand, if Abbot Scarcella becomes a member of this Bishops' Conference again, it will damage the credibility of the measures that the RKZ and KOVOS, together with the Swiss Bishops' Conference, are taking with great commitment to combat abuse."

Rebuke from the Vatican

After allegations of sexual harassment against Scarcella became known in September 2023, he temporarily resigned.

Last October, the Vatican reprimanded the Abbot of the Augustinian Canons for inappropriate behavior toward a young man. At the same time, however, the relevant episcopal authority stated that there was "no evidence of abuse or harassment in the strict sense." The monk was accused of behaving inappropriately toward a young man.

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