Canada: Powerful cardinal accused of sexual harassment by woman

Canadian cardinal Mark Ouellet, Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, is accused of sexual assault in Canada by a woman who worked as a pastoral agent from 2008 to 2010, according to an investigation by Radio Canada.

His name appears in a collective complaint involving 87 other members church and which was filed by 100 victims, many of whom were minors during the events that took place mainly in the 1950s and 1960s.

Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported on Tuesday that the woman, identified as “F”, was doing an internship when she matched Ouellet, now 78.

“He grabbed me and then… his hands were on my back and they reached pretty low,” said the applicant, who at various times said cardinal he pressed his body against her, massaged her shoulders, or caressed her delightfully.

These touches took place in public actswhich she, feeling “persecuted”, stopped going to avoid their presence.

The Archdiocese said in an email to Radio Canada that it is aware of the allegations against Wellebut made no comment.

At the time of the events, he was archbishop and the final word on recruitment.

“You have a young woman in her early 20s facing a powerful man in a position of authority, then internationally famous, who was in his mid-60s,” says Alain Arceneau, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

witnesses

BUT Priest who was working in the archdiocese at the time, told Radio Canada that there were already rumors at the time about the behavior of the cardinal. He was one of those to whom the complainant told about the incident and claims to have believed him.

Wella has not faced any criminal charges. The lawsuit against him was filed directly with Vatican in 2021, and although a meeting was organized between the Holy See and the victim, a year and a half later, the latter claims that she was not informed of the results of the investigation.

cardinal was summoned to Rome and appointed in June 2010 prefect Dicastery of Bishopsbody that elects these top church officials and then passes on the names of those elected to dad to make the final decision.

EFE