E.-Martin Meunier will oversee the Canada / United States component of the commission’s work.
“Professor E.-Martin Meunier’s involvement underscores the rigorous work the Collège chairs do to promote research in French.”
— Jonathan Paquette, director, Collège des chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone, University of Ottawa.
The commission is conducting an independent investigation into sexual violence by the priest known as Abbé Pierre, founder of the charity Emmaüs. Its main goal is to bring to light the ways in which the abbé’s actions were shrouded in silence, allowing him to victimize almost 60 people over a span of more than 50 years. Commission members are investigating using scholarly methods drawn from the social sciences (history, sociology, archival studies).
As part of their mission, commissioners and researchers are examining records from various archival groups, collecting new private documents for analysis and preservation, and conducting scores of interviews. Interviewees could be people who say they experienced sexual abuse at Abbé Pierre’s hands, people who say they witnessed it, people who were involved in Emmaüs organizations or anyone else whose story and experiences are deemed useful to help understand how knowledge of the incidents was kept quiet. The investigation is primarily taking place in France and North America.
“Professor Meunier’s appointment to this commission speaks to the international recognition of our researchers’ excellence, and uOttawa’s unique contribution to addressing major societal issues.”
— Martine Lagacé, associate vice-president, research promotion and development, University of Ottawa
The commission is headed by Céline Béraud, director of studies at the School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (Paris, France). It brings together researchers from across France and Canada. In spring 2027, it will share a report of its findings with Emmaüs International and the public.
Meunier being named to the commission is a testament to the trust and international recognition he’s earned for his expertise as a sociologist of religion, particularly contemporary Catholicism.
“It’s an honour for our faculty and an acknowledgment of how influential Professor Meunier’s research is. This distinction is proof of the value sociological research has in tackling the thorniest of social issues.”
— Nathan Young, interim dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa
The Canada / United States component of the commission will look into Abbé Pierre’s many trips to Quebec, the rest of Canada and the United States between 1955 and 2003. Researchers are currently combing through records in a number of different archival groups.
Recently, the commission started up its investigation in Canada and the United States with a call for witnesses. Anyone who has any information or testimony to share with the commission about Abbé Pierre’s trips to North America is asked to email the commissioners at cevap@uOttawa.ca. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.