Yvelines: a priest who denounced the "abuse of power" in the Church commits suicide

In a column, published at the end of last year, he said he had been the victim of abuse of power.

Father François de Foucauld, priest of the diocese of Versailles, has "put an end to his life", announced in a press release, published Friday, the bishop of Versailles, Luc Crepy.

“His body was found last night in the Rambouillet forest,” he continues.

Priest for 18 years

Aged 50, François de Foucauld had been “a priest for 18 years for the diocese of Versailles”, specifies the press release.

"Following difficulties in the exercise of his ministry, he had no mission since September 2021", also writes Luc Crepy, without elaborating more on the "difficulties" encountered by the man of the Church.

In a column published in the Catholic newspaper La Croix last December, François de Foucauld denounced having been the victim of abuse of power and deplored a "forced silence" within the Church itself.

The priest also called for listening to “the testimony of victims of abuse of power in the Church”.

"We share the pain of all those who were able to know and appreciate him in his parish ministry", writes Luc Crepy in the press release.

And to add: “We carry Father François, his family and his friends together in prayer, asking the Lord to welcome him in his mercy.

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