Catholic Church in France launches new abuse reparation body

The Catholic Church in France is transitioning its mechanism for addressing sexual abuse victims. The current body, the National Independent Instance for Reparation and Redress (Inirr), will conclude its mandate on August 31. It will be succeeded by a permanent entity named ‘Renaître’, scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2026.

Since its creation in 2021 following the Ciase report, the Inirr has processed 1,924 requests. The body was designed to provide restorative justice through symbolic gestures or financial compensation, with victims eligible for up to 60,000 euros. While the Inirr was a temporary measure, the Church maintains that the new ‘Renaître’ structure will preserve national independence and the principle of financial reparation.

However, the transition has faced criticism from victim advocacy groups, who have described the new arrangement with terms such as ‘catastrophe’ and ‘empty shell,’ expressing concerns over a potential loss of independence. The Ciase report, which estimated that up to 330,000 minors were victims of sexual violence within the Church since 1950, remains the central reference point for these ongoing institutional reforms.