Concerns over Application of French "Abuse of Weakness" Law
The trial for “abuse of weakness” of the Catholic Missionary Family of Notre-Dame (FMND) raises concerns about the application of the recently amended French “anti-cult” law. At the trail, the experts solicited by the investigators presented some of basic principles of religious communities, such as the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, or silence and parts of the Catholic catechism, as “means of submission”.
On July 4, a trial for “abuse of weakness” of the Missionary Family of Notre-Dame (Famille Missionnaire de Notre-Dame, FMND) and its Superior Father Bernard Domini was opened in the court of the French city of Privas.
The accusations based on reports of the French government organization MIVILUDES (Interministerial Mission of Vigilance and Combat against Sectarian Drifts) and experts solicited by the investigators, however, went far beyond the investigation of potential abuse of weakness and instead presented some of the basic principles of the Catholic faith as "psychological subjection".
For example, the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience were presented as "intended to reinforce the feeling of belonging and the process of identification". Futhermore, the reports claimed that "the silence imposed at certain times of the day and the prayers are a way of reaffirming their submission".
The experts solicited by the investigators also described prayer as "magical thought" and claimed that teachings about the existence of the Devil or Hell are "false data in order to lose all objectivity and keep them under control". These teachings would make you "end up believing in the existence of the Devil", one of the plaintiffs warned.
The FMND has rejected all charges in a press release published on their webiste.
According to the French Criminal Code (Article 223-15-2), amended in May 2024, the abuse of a state of ignorance or a situation of weakness is punishable by three years' imprisonment. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has severely criticised France for its vague criminal law on "psychological subjection".
Sources: France Bleu, FMND, Bitter Winter, tribunechretienne.com, US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Image: Le Salon Beige
Update: On August 1, Privas Criminal Court rejected all the exceptions of nullity raised by Father Bernard's lawyers. He ordered additional information and scheduled a trial to be held this time over three days from September 24 to 26, 2025.
Source: France Bleu