An Affaire? Paris Archbishop in Troubles

Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit, 70, a former physician, had a 2012 “intimate relationship with a woman” while being the Paris vicar general, LePoint.fr (November 22) claims.

LePoint.fr belongs to the oligarch François Pinault ($49.5 billion). Aupetit seemingly admitted “ambiguous conduct” with the woman but denied breaking his vow of celibacy.

The matter came to light internally in the spring of 2020 when a February 2012 email to the woman surfaced that Aupetit had inadvertently sent to his secretary.

When confronted, Aupetit got bogged down in confused explanations, first promised to resign, then denied. The Paris Nuncio and Cardinal Ouellet, prefect of the Bishops’ Congregation, were informed, an investigation was entrusted to Cardinal Vingt-Trois.

Like Francis, Aupetit is known for his authoritarian style, distance to his priests, little pastoral concern, scathing manners, a lack of empathy, openness to dialogue and paternal attitude.

Two of Aupetit’s vicars-general resigned successively. He just published a pastoral letter on “fraternity.” Following Francis, he recently supressed ten Roman Masses.

Picture: Michel Aupetit, © François-Régis Salefran, CC BY-SA, #newsAuncgyecpv