Three other high-ranking members of the Catholic Church in Quebec are facing allegations of sexual assault against minors in a class action brought against the Diocese of Quebec. One of them, Jean-Pierre Blais, still officiates as bishop in the diocese of Baie-Comeau.
The latter faces allegations of touching against a 12-year-old child. The alleged crimes allegedly took place at the presbytery of Charny, in Lévis, between 1974 and 1975.
His name is among a list of 134 churchmen who face allegations of sex crimes, often perpetrated against minors. The law firm Arsenault Dufresne Wee, which represents the alleged victims in the class action, chronically updates the document. Last August, his list had 101 names.
Bishop Blais has held the role of bishop of the diocese of Baie-Comeau since 2008. The organization would not comment, except to say that he is appreciated by his parishioners.
The former bishop of the diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Clément Fecteau, is also on the list. The latter would have perpetrated touching against a 13-year-old child in the locker room of the Séminaire de Québec. He also faces allegations of exhibitionism. The alleged facts date back to 1987.
Death took Bishop Fecteau in 2017 at the age of 84. A native of Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, he held the position of bishop in the diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière between 1996 and 2008, after a stint as auxiliary bishop in Quebec.
The former auxiliary bishop of Quebec, Jean-Paul Labrie, also appears among the alleged attackers. He allegedly molested alleged victims aged 16 and 17. The facts date back to 1968.
Born in 1922, Jean-Paul Labrie died in 2001.
The names of these three bishops are added to that of Cardinal Marc Ouellet, also the subject of allegations within the framework of the collective action against the diocese of Quebec.
Arseneault Dufresne Wee is also bringing a class action against the Diocese of Trois-Rivières. To date, more than 40 victims have denounced some twenty employees of the diocese in this case.