Statement from cardinal Ouellet

MONTREAL, June 13, 2023 /CNW/ - This is a statement from cardinal Ouellet :  

''As part of the defamation suit I initiated to clear my name, Ms. Groleau is now alleging that I have engaged in reprehensible behaviour towards other people. Ms. Groleau's view of things is not in keeping with the person I am and amounts to new defamatory allegations. I firmly deny having made any inappropriate act whatsoever in relation to these women.   By making such allegations, Ms. Groleau continues to impute unfounded intentions to me. I intend to demonstrate this in a court of law, and to respond to these allegations with complete transparency.

The progress of my legal action against Ms. Groleau demonstrates the importance of relying on the judicial process to uncover the truth. This process has already highlighted the fact that the behaviour she is accusing me of (which is otherwise denied) is nothing more than cordial gestures made in the context of public appearances. Indeed, the actions in question would all have been taken, without exception, in full view of several people present, very near the alleged events.

The evidence to date demonstrates that I have never interacted privately with Ms. Groleau or sought to do so. Moreover, the fact that Ms. Groleau allegedly felt pursued because of my presence at certain public events she attended is unjustifiable and essentially amounts to my sitting next to her or greeting her. I was present at diocese events because of my duties and my desire to be close to the community. I have always reached out to people and will continue to do so. Several people involved in the activities in which I participated will testify at the trial.

So I intend to bring this strong voice to court, this vision that it is still permissible in our society to greet people in a spirit of fraternity at public events. This is an important issue for society as a whole.

Finally, I would like to emphasize that the evidence gathered to date clearly demonstrates that it was unjustified for Ms. Groleau to include her defamatory allegations in the class action filed against other members of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Quebec. The acts of which Ms. Groleau accuses me are out of all proportion to the allegations made against the other clergy members. To equate what she alleges with serious sexual assaults in which I have no involvement is simply shocking. I continue to believe that if I were not a cardinal, my name would never have been included in these proceedings.''

SOURCE Cardinal Ouellet