Quebec Cardinal denies allegations of sexual misconduct

[ad_1]

Cardinal Marc Ouellet denies allegations of sexual misconduct made against him in a 2020 complaint filed by a second woman who accused him of wrongdoing against her.

A Vatican investigation was conducted following the second complaint against the former Archbishop of Quebec, but Pope Francis decided “not to pursue the accusation made” because he found “no reason to take into consideration the incrimination against Cardinal Ouellet”.

In a written statement to the media on Saturday, Cardinal Ouellet confirmed that he had participated in the Vatican’s investigation, saying he had “nothing to hide” and that he had acted “with complete transparency” in the process. process.

According to reports, the complaint was ultimately dismissed, “in part because the complainant chose not to meet with those responsible for the investigation after filing her complaint.”

The cardinal “denies having committed any reprehensible behavior towards this woman” and specifies that no civil or criminal complaint has been filed against him.

The existence of this second complaint was revealed this week by the French Catholic weekly Golias Hebdo, which obtained a copy of a letter dated June 23, 2021 in which the current Archbishop of Quebec, Grad Cyprien Lacroix, informed the complainant that his allegations would not be prosecuted.

Golias Hebdo did not reveal the name of the woman concerned.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published in French on January 21, 2023.

[ad_2]