Saint-Maurice, Switzerland – On the afternoon of Thursday 26 June, Mons. Jean Scarcella informed the Abbey Council of his decision to resign from his office as Abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice. The resignation, formally submitted to Pope Leo XIV, has been accepted by the Holy See. As stipulated by the Abbey's constitutions, Prior Simone Previte now assumes the role of Capitular Vicar, pending the election of a new Abbot, which must take place by the end of September.
Mons. Scarcella’s decision is not a surrender, but a clear and painful choice, matured — as he himself stated — “in personal prayer and constructive dialogue.” A choice motivated by the awareness that public accusations and media clamour, even in the absence of guilt, can irremediably undermine the authority of a pastor.
“I step down as Abbot because I have come to believe that new forces must now implement the measures outlined in our action plan. On behalf of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice, I renew my request for forgiveness to the victims and the faithful,” declared Mons. Scarcella, reaffirming his peaceful commitment to the good of the community.
He had been elected Abbot in 2015, during the celebrations of the 1500th anniversary of the Abbey’s foundation. In recent months, however, he became the focus of an internal investigation following accusations that, after thorough checks, were found to be unfounded. Yet, as so often happens, the weight of accusation outweighed that of truth, making it impossible for him to continue his pastoral service in peace.
Silere non possum visited the Abbey in March 2025, recounting with precision and respect the story that had deeply wounded the community and the image of the Abbot. Then, as now, we denounced the danger of an ecclesial and social culture where the presumption of guilt overrides the search for truth. It is a cruel paradox: being declared innocent is no longer enough. Mere suspicion poisons trust, and with it, every possibility of governing with authority.
What is even more outrageous is the hypocrisy of a system that pretends to uphold justice, while tolerating — or worse, rewarding — the real sowers of poison: ambiguous figures who roam undisturbed through parishes, abbeys, and curias, in search of power and visibility. And when they do not get what they want, they know how to strike. A whispered word, a hinted accusation, is enough to set the machinery of slander in motion. A diabolical machine that does not ask for evidence, but only for the smell of scandal. In such a toxic climate, truth becomes an inconvenient detail. But we will continue to speak it.
A new chapter for the Abbey
The emeritus Abbot’s decision forms part of the broader process of discernment and renewal initiated by the community following the publication on 20 June of the report by the working group of the University of Fribourg, chaired by Pierre Aubert. In response, the Abbey has adopted an action plan for truth, reparation, and governance, and established a Governance Advisory Commission. Prior Simone Previte, temporarily leading the community, expressed words of gratitude and respect for the outgoing Abbot, emphasising the need to face the future with truth, humility, and spiritual maturity:
“The Abbey Council received with serenity and fraternal spirit the decision of our Abbot Jean. Our community is grateful for the fatherhood he has cultivated towards it. Now it is called to build the future in truth and humility.”
The Abbey of Saint-Maurice now looks to the future. The election of a new Abbot, which must be confirmed by the Holy See, represents a real opportunity for renewal — a renewal that cannot ignore one essential principle: truth, even when it is uncomfortable, must remain the compass of every authentic Christian community.
The suffering that runs through the Church today does not arise solely from the tragic and real cases of abuse — especially spiritual and psychological abuse — which continue to occur in certain ecclesial contexts, but also from the inability, sometimes culpable, to recognise the innocence of those falsely accused, even when such innocence is clearly demonstrated.
What deeply wounds both clergy and laity is the silence of the hierarchy, often fearful, calculating or complicit, unable to raise its voice — as Christ did — in defence of the little ones and the innocent. The bitter paradox of our time is that the "little ones" today are often those who are slandered and persecuted, victims of grudges, rivalries, and vendettas disguised as justice. A Church that fails to distinguish between truth and suspicion, between justice and revenge, is a Church at risk of betraying the Gospel.
d.L.S.
Silere non possum