Groleau Testifies on Alleged Misconduct by Cardinal Ouellet

In Montreal Superior Court, Paméla Groleau, a former pastoral agent with the Quebec City diocese, testified on Thursday about alleged incidents of sexual misconduct by retired Cardinal Marc Ouellet, repeating claims that have prompted a defamation lawsuit against her.

Groleau, who worked in the church from around 2008 to 2019, described three specific encounters with Ouellet between 2008 and 2010. The first occurred after a mass where she had held up a Bible for an extended period. She said Ouellet approached from behind and massaged her shoulders with strong force, leaving her unable to stand for what felt like a long time. Following that, Groleau testified, she sensed a spotlight on her whenever she entered a room with Ouellet, as he would approach her directly. In one instance during an event that year, he greeted her and held her hand for an unusually long duration.

The final alleged incident took place in February 2010, after the ordination of a priest at Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral in Quebec City. Groleau recounted that, as the cathedral emptied, Ouellet caressed her back with his right hand, sliding it down to the top of her buttocks and pressing there. "I...