Cardinal Ouellet speaks out after being cleared of abuse allegations

Cardinal Marc Ouellet described the last four years as a nightmare following his recent acquittal in a Canadian civil court regarding sexual assault allegations. The retired prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops was cleared of claims made by a pastoral worker, Paméla Groleau, who had accused him of non-consensual physical contact.

The accusations surfaced in August 2022 as part of a class-action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Quebec involving historical abuse of minors by priests. Ouellet told Rome Reports that he initially waited to take legal action to respect the class-action process, but he eventually sued for defamation after his case was grouped with allegations of pedophilia.

A civil court concluded that Ouellet was a victim of defamation. The court ordered Groleau to pay him 100,000 dollars, which Ouellet intends to donate entirely to victims of abuse in indigenous communities in Canada.

Ouellet noted that the allegations impacted his health, reputation, and moral authority. He stated that he felt a moral obligation to use all available means to restore the truth and protect the credibility of the Church.