Vatican cardinal terms assault allegations false, defamatory

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — The Vatican cardinal accused in a class-action lawsuit in Canada of sexual assault against a woman has denied any inappropriate behavior. Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet says he would vigorously fight the “false” and “defamatory” accusations if the case proceeds. The cardinal issued his own statement via the Vatican press office a day after the Holy See said a preliminary church investigation into the woman’s allegations determined the case didn’t warrant further investigation or canonical trial.  The back-to-back statements were responding to lawyers in Quebec, who recently filed a class-action compliant by 101 alleged victims accusing 88 prelates of sexual abuse and assault over decades.