Cardinal Ouellet Defamation Trial Reveals Church Workers' Shock
Testimony at the Montreal courthouse this week revealed that allegations against retired Cardinal Marc Ouellet have left church workers stunned and surprised. The cardinal is suing a woman for $100,000, alleging she defamed him when she claimed he sexually assaulted her by touching her inappropriately during events in 2008 and 2010.
Ordination Ceremony Context
Two witnesses testified Wednesday about the nature of Catholic ordination ceremonies, describing them as joyous occasions where physical contact like hugs and handshakes commonly occurs. Jérôme Frenette, a 45-year-old diocese worker from Quebec City, told Quebec Superior Court Justice Martin Castonguay that he has witnessed numerous ordination ceremonies where attendees greet priests and cardinals with physical contact.
"We see everything," Frenette testified, referring to the greetings exchanged after ordination ceremonies. He described one February 2010 ceremony presided over by Ouellet that attracted between 400 and 500 attendees, noting that people were in a celebratory mood and many touched both the newly ordained priest and the cardinal during greetings.
The Allegations and Response
The defendant, Paméla Groleau, has alleged that Ouellet massaged her shoulders and ran his hand down her back to the top of her buttocks during separate incidents in 2008 and 2010. Groleau worked for the Quebec diocese at the time and has made these claims both in a class-action lawsuit against Catholic priests and in media reports.
Frenette, who coordinated logistics for the 2010 ceremony, expressed profound surprise when he first heard the allegations. "I was very surprised to hear (the allegations Groleau made). Stunned. No, very stunned," he told the court when questioned by Ouellet's lawyer, Dominique Ménard.
He further described Ouellet as someone who does not seek physical contact, characterizing him as "someone who meditates, reflects. I would even say I found him to be distant and even sometimes cold."
Additional Witness Testimony
Amélie Martineau-Lavallée, a 47-year-old communications worker for the Catholic Church in Quebec City, also testified Wednesday morning. She expressed similar shock at the allegations, stating she was "extremely surprised" when she first heard them.
"It was not at all the man I had known for years, so I was floored," Martineau-Lavallée told the court. "I had known him for a long time and never, never, never (had she heard rumours of wrongdoing)."
She described knowing Ouellet since he was a monsignor and frequently interacting with him while studying in Rome between 2007 and 2009. According to her testimony, Ouellet served as an excellent mentor with whom she could speak freely, and she was particularly impressed by his listening abilities.
Trial Proceedings
The trial, which began Monday with Ouellet's testimony, is scheduled to continue throughout the week. The case centers on whether Groleau's public allegations constitute defamation against the retired cardinal, who maintains his innocence regarding the sexual assault claims.
Based on questions posed to witnesses Wednesday morning, it appears Groleau alleges one incident of inappropriate touching occurred during a priest's ordination ceremony in Quebec City. Both witnesses who testified worked with Groleau during her time at the diocese and expressed disbelief at her allegations against Ouellet.
