Carmen Álvarez Cuadrado
The Superior Court of Quebec in Canada has ruled that Cardinal Marc Ouellet was “the victim of slander and defamation” and “falsely accused” of sexual violence.
The ruling acquits him of any charges, while the
woman who accused him must pay 100,000
Canadian dollars for damage to his reputation. The cardinal said he will donate the money to organizations that fight against the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
It all began in 2022. In August of that year, a class-action lawsuit was already underway against the Archdiocese of Quebec. Pastoral worker Paméla Groleau accused the cardinal of non-consensual touching between 2008 and 2010, when Ouellet was archbishop of Quebec.
He denied any wrongdoing, proclaiming his
innocence. In December 2022, he filed a defamation lawsuit. Now, four years later, the court has ruled in his favor. The ruling states that the accusations damaged his reputation.
Cardinal Ouellet became a papal contender in the
2013 conclave and rose to one of the highest
positions in the Curia. From 2010 to 2023, he served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. His successor was Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the time.
