Americas

Quebec Cardinal, Potential Pope Successor Named in Lawsuit for Sexual Assault - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Cardinal of Quebec Marc Ouellet has been named in a class action filled against the Quebec Diocese for alleged sexual misconduct, the CBC reported on Tuesday.
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The civil lawsuit representing more than 100 people accuses Ouellet and 87 other Catholic clergymen of having committed various abuses and taken part in sexual assaults, the report said citing the investigative program “Enquete.”
The lawsuit documents indicate that most abuses took place between 1950-1960, the report said.
Ouellet’s alleged victim has preferred to stay anonymous but is said to be a young woman going by the term “F” and has noted repeated and inappropriate touching by the then Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Quebec, between 2008-2010, with most of the abuse occurring during public events, the report said.
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The person reportedly came forward to the committee in charge of reviewing the sexual misconduct allegations within the Quebec Diocese after falling victim to another instance of aggression by a different priest, ten years after Ouellet, the report added.
The news of the alleged sexual abuse comes after Pope Francis visited Canada and denounced the abuses perpetrated by the Catholic Church in the country. Ouellet has been considered by many to be a potential successor to the current Pope.
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