EYM starts a journey of truth

As National Director of the Eucharistic Youth Movement, I wish to make known to the whole Movement that in the past few months, detailed and credible reports have reached my person concerning acts of sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by Fr Sauro De Luca SJ (†2012) during the activities of the EYM.

First of all, I want to ask for forgiveness from the victims/survivors and their families, and to tell you that for us at the National Centre, who are responsible for the Movement, it is very painful to take note of all this. We are deeply touched by the pain of those who have been abused, and although we are aware that nothing will be enough to fully heal the wound, we are committed to do everything in our power to welcome, listen and assist those who so desire.

The reported suffering is for us an urgent call to a ‘journey of truth’ about our history and identity, without which our educational mission today would lose its meaning.

The National Centre, in accord with the Jesuit Provincial, has therefore come to the decision to open a phase of listening to anyone who has something to tell on the subject, to find out if any other such incidents have occurred in the past, recent or otherwise, of the Movement.

A Delegate for this ‘’journey of truth‘’ has therefore been appointed in the person of Dr Grazia Villani (*) who will be assisted by competent persons from the METER Association; she will devote herself to listening to anyone who believes they may have suffered any form of abuse when they were minors in the course of the activities of the EYM, or to anyone who knows of similar facts. Dr Grazia Villani is independent of the Society of Jesus and of the Movement.

It will be our duty to guarantee the confidentiality of information and testimonies and, at the same time, to ensure that the necessary measures will be taken, including by the most appropriate legal means.
Furthermore, during this initial listening phase, we will also be able to identify, together with the victims, the type of appropriate support that the Movement could offer.

Following this listening phase, the Delegate will provide me and the Jesuit Provincial with a report that will enable us to make known to the Movement, while protecting confidentiality, the abuses that have come to our attention.

In the hope that this invitation will reach every single person involved, we ask you to help us spread this communiqué among your acquaintances and personal contacts who have been part of the Movement in the past.

As the National Centre, we would like to renew our commitment to implement our child protection protocol (Safeguarding policy) that the Movement has in place, as well as any other actions aimed at ensuring a serene and safe environment for our children and young people.

Father Renato Colizzi SJ

(*) Grazia Villani (tutela@meg-italia.it, mob. +39 337 112 2389) has lived in Santo Domingo and the United States. She worked for more than 20 years at the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. For the past 10 years, with the help of experts, she has carried out a pastoral service of accompanying people who are ‘survivors’ of abuse on a possible path of healing in the culture of care, prevention and conscientization.

The EYM

The Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM) is the youth branch of the World Network of Prayer with the Pope, a pontifical work entrusted to the Society of Jesus. It accompanies children and young people, from the third year of primary school to the end of their university years, along an integrated path of human and spiritual formation. Born in France on the initiative of the Jesuits at the beginning of the last century, today it is present in 69 countries on 5 continents.

In the Euro-Mediterranean Province there are about fifty groups in parishes and religious institutes that have chosen to adopt this path for the growth and formation of young people. There are about 2,500 members, aged between 8 and 24, in Italy, Malta and Albania.

Download the release: .pdf format (35kb) – .docx format (12kb)

Read the interviews (in Italian) with Fr. Renato Colizzi: Avvenire – Repubblica