The cardinal and archbishop of Quebec, Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, “categorically denies” the allegations made against him last week as part of a class action brought against his diocese. In a video addressed Tuesday to the Catholic community, he said he was “at peace” but “very affected” by the accusations recently made public.
“For several days, our community has been facing turmoil,” admits the man of the Church in a sober video where he appears behind his desk, eyes glued to the camera except for a few oscillations in the teleprompter.
The name of Gérald Cyprien Lacroix appears on the list of alleged attackers of 147 alleged victims filed last Thursday in the Superior Court by the firm Arsenault Dufresne Wee Avocats, responsible for legal actions brought against several religious congregations for sexual abuse.
The primate of the Canadian Catholic Church is the subject of a complaint for alleged touching committed in 1987 and 1988 against an alleged victim who was 17 years old at the time.
“Never, to my knowledge, have I made any inappropriate actions towards anyone, whether minors or adults. My soul and my conscience are at peace in the face of these accusations which I refute, affirms the cardinal. Even if my heart and my mind are at peace, he adds, I must also admit that I am very affected, like many of you, by the extent of the damage caused by these unfounded allegations. »
Gérald Cyprien Lacroix announced the provisional suspension of his activities the day after the publication of the allegations against him. “This is not a resignation,” explains the cardinal, “but a temporary withdrawal to allow us to better evaluate the next steps to take and consider the decisions to be taken. »
The archbishop “commits to respecting the ongoing legal process” and emphasizes that his diocese “recognizes the suffering of the victims. »
“Let me be clear, our diocese remains resolutely committed to ensuring that victims of abuse receive financial compensation in addition to other means at their disposal to achieve healing,” insists Gérald Cyprien Lacroix. For me, for us, this is fundamental. »
He believes that his role as legal representative of the Corporation of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Quebec places him in an “ambiguous” situation now that his name also appears on the list of people accused of sexual abuse in the context of the class action brought against the diocese.
” I consider that [mon] temporary withdrawal could help ensure that possible future negotiations in the case of collective action are not disrupted, but on the contrary move towards a settlement,” adds the cardinal.
The primate accuses the law firm of having put an end to negotiations initiated with a view to reaching a settlement. ” I fear […] that this decision unduly extends the delays before the reparation that survivors of sexual abuse have been waiting for too long,” worries the Archbishop.
In interview at Duty last week, Me Alain Arsenault had indicated that after a year of unsuccessful talks, he had little hope that an amicable agreement could be reached. However, he mentioned that any proposed agreement submitted by the diocese would be presented to the applicants.
The diocese specifies that it will not issue any comments due to the judicial nature of the case.