Québec Cardinal Marc Ouellet accused of sexual assault

Québec Cardinal Marc Ouellet is being accused of sexual assault in a class-action lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese.

In court documents introduced today in Superior Court, an unnamed woman accuses the prominent cleric of kissing her at a cocktail reception in 2008 and sliding his hand down her back and touching her buttocks.

Ouellet has been the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

The 78-year-old was Archbishop of Québec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010.

In 2018, Ouellet, when previously discussing the priestly sexual abuse crisis, said, “We will need more participation of women in the formation of priests, in teaching, in the discernment of candidates and their emotional balance.”