Jean-Jacques Masquelin, attorney at the Brussels bar, died at the age of 81 in Ixelles on Saturday, revealed his family on Sunday. He was involved in the creation of the Centre for arbitration on sexual abuse, as an expert chosen by the Church, a few years ago. This arbitration court was created specifically to deal with time-barred sexual abuse cases committed by priests or friars through a compensation fund for the victims. Following research by the Chamber’s Special Commission “on dealing with sexual abuse and paedophile acts by a person of authority and in particular within the Church,” a group of 6 experts including Jean-Jacques Masquelin, was asked to develop this new arbitration structure.
Jean-Jacques Masquelin also held a PhD in Law from UCL, and he was a former member of the Governing Board and honorary substitute advisor at the Appeals Court in Brussels, according to the biography shared by his daughter-in-law, Valérie Leclercq, on Sunday.
“Jean-Jacques Masquelin was also honorary president of the Belgian Olivaint Conference, a multi-university political centre. He was working enthusiastically on organising a symposium on ‘living together’, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Olivaint Conference," she adds.
He was made Commander in the Order of Leopold II, as well as Officer in the Order of Leopold and Officer in the Order of the Crown. On the religious side he was decorated by the pope as Commander in the Order of Saint Sylvester, according to information shared by his family.
(Source: Belga)
