In 2023, former members of the Community of the Lamb (Communauté de l'Agneau) contacted the sectarian abuse prevention unit of the French Bishops' Conference (Conférence des Évêques de France, CEF). These reports marked the beginning of an internal review process within the Catholic Church, which ultimately led, in the spring of 2025, to the opening of a canonical criminal proceeding.
At the conclusion of this preliminary phase, the National Canonical Criminal Tribunal (Tribunal pénal canonique national, TPCN) opened, in the spring of 2025, a canonical criminal proceeding against Marie-Thierry Coqueray, known within the community as "Little Sister Marie", founder of the Community of the Lamb (Communauté de l'Agneau). The principal allegation under examination is abuse of authority.
The opening of such proceedings constitutes an important procedural step. It does not mean that guilt has been established. Rather, it indicates that, in the judgment of the competent ecclesiastical authorities, the information gathered was sufficiently serious to justify the initiation of criminal proceedings under canon law. For former members, relatives, and those who have followed developments within the community over several years, this decision sends an important signal: testimonies and reports are being taken seriously and are subject to examination by an independent ecclesiastical tribunal.
The National Canonical Criminal Tribunal (Tribunal pénal canonique national, TPCN) is the national canonical criminal court established by the French Bishops' Conference (Conférence des Évêques de France, CEF). It was created in 2022 to provide a more independent, consistent, and professional system of canonical criminal justice.
Its mission is to investigate and adjudicate the most serious violations of canon law, including abuse of authority, sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, and other canonical offences. Rather than leaving such proceedings solely to the competence of individual dioceses, these cases are referred to the TPCN, where they are examined by judges with specialized training in canon law, in accordance with the norms of the Catholic Church.
The establishment of this national tribunal is intended to strengthen the independence of canonical proceedings, promote greater consistency in judicial decisions, and enhance confidence in the Church's system of justice.
The proceedings initiated against Little Sister Marie (Marie-Thierry Coqueray) are not civil or criminal proceedings before the courts of the French state, but proceedings conducted under the canon law of the Catholic Church. They concern the question of whether an abuse of authority was committed in the exercise of governance within the Community of the Lamb (Communauté de l'Agneau).
As the proceedings are still ongoing, the precise allegations and the evidence gathered during the investigation have not been made public by the TPCN. This confidentiality is consistent with the rules governing canonical criminal procedure.
As in any justice system governed by the rule of law, the presumption of innocence applies in canonical criminal law. Little Sister Marie (Marie-Thierry Coqueray) is therefore presumed innocent unless and until a final decision establishes her responsibility.
Likewise, the right to a fair trial is a fundamental principle of canonical justice. It includes, in particular, the right to be informed of the allegations, to present a defence, to submit evidence, and to be heard by an independent tribunal.
Individuals who possess information, observations, or personal experience that they wish to bring to the attention of the tribunal may contact the National Canonical Criminal Tribunal and its Promoter of Justice directly through in order to provide information or submit testimony. It is for the tribunal alone to determine whether, and to what extent, such material will be admitted into the proceedings in accordance with canon law.
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