Cardinal Marc Ouellet denies allegations of sexual misconduct that were made against him in a complaint filed in 2020 by a second woman who accused him of committing wrongful acts against her.
A Vatican investigation had been conducted in the wake of this second complaint against the former Archbishop of Quebec, but Pope Francis decided “not to uphold the accusation made”, since he found “no reason to subsequently consider the incrimination at the expense of Cardinal Ouellet”.
In a statement sent to the media in writing on Saturday, Cardinal Ouellet confirmed that he participated in the Vatican’s investigation, arguing that he has “nothing to hide” and that he acted “in complete transparency as part of this process.
“As I mentioned during this investigation, I deny having committed any reprehensible behavior with regard to this woman,” wrote Cardinal Ouellet, who will not comment further on this file.
“I would like to point out that to my knowledge, no request from this woman to reactivate the complaint process has been made. I have not been the subject of any other complaint from him, both civilly and criminally,” the cardinal maintained.
According to what was reported to him, the complaint was finally rejected, “particularly because the complainant had chosen, after filing her complaint, not to meet with the persons responsible for the investigation”.
The existence of this second complaint was revealed this week by the French Catholic weekly Golias Weekly, who obtained a copy of a letter dated June 23, 2021 in which the current Archbishop of Quebec, Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, informed the complainant, whose name has not been disclosed, that her allegations would not be accepted.
In his letter, Cardinal Lacroix specified that the preliminary investigation was conducted remotely, because of the pandemic, and without the “direct or indirect participation of the Archdiocese of Quebec”.
This investigation was carried out according to the procedure established by the pope in 2019 to evaluate allegations of sexual assault or misconduct. Testimonies were collected “both in Quebec and in Rome”.
Second Complaint
Last week, another woman who accuses Cardinal Ouellet of sexual misconduct revealed her identity. She accused the Catholic Church of trying to silence her “with threats and intimidation”.
Paméla Groleau is part of a large class action brought in August against the Archdiocese of Quebec by 139 plaintiffs, who accuse dozens of priests of sexual assault.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Groleau accuses Cardinal Ouellet of several sexual assaults committed between 2008 — when she was 23 — and 2010. The prelate, who was then Archbishop of Quebec, allegedly slipped his hand behind his back and would have touched the buttocks during an event in the provincial capital.
The allegations have not been tested by the courts and Cardinal Ouellet, who is now a member of the Roman Curia at the Vatican, categorically denies Ms. Groleau’s allegations.
He responded last month by suing her in Superior Court for defamation; the cardinal claims $100,000 in damages.
With information from Marisela Amador