The investigation was carried out by GCPS Consulting at the request of the Focolare in December 2020. We are making the report available here on our website through a link to the International Focolare website.
In the first place our thoughts are with the victims of sexual abuse in France. Their stories give us great shame and sadness for the lasting pain and wounds that they carry as a result of that abuse.
We echo here the words of Margaret Karram, the president of the Focolare,
“There are no words that can adequately express the shock and pain I feel at the harm that has been done to the children and young people abused by JMM and – I say this with immense suffering – not only by him, as is clear from the results of the inquiry.”
Addressing the victims, she added:
“In this moment, all my thoughts and feelings are with you who have suffered a very serious crime that in many cases has ruined your lives’.
We commit ourselves to respond with greater vigilance in all our safeguarding such that this may never happen here in our Focolare community in the UK.
If on reading these pages of the report, you have concerns regarding abuse within the Focolare that you wish to discuss, the Safeguarding Team is available to provide advice and support.
Contact details for the Focolare Safeguarding Officers
Jane Evans: safeguarding@focolare.org.uk
Nic Innocent: safeguarding@focolare.org.uk
For press enquiries contact
Helen Copeland: helen.copeland@focolare.org.uk, tel. 07731 774319
-Independent investigation (full text)
-Summary report
–Supervisors report Alain Christnacht
Letter from the Focolare President and Co-President to the members of the Focolare Movement in France
