Quebec church leader returns to Cardinal post after 6-month leave due to abuse claims

Cardinal Gérald Lacroix resumed his duties arsenic archbishop of Quebec City connected Monday after a Vatican-mandated investigation recovered nary grounds tying the senior church leader to sexual misconduct allegations.

Lacroix says he has resumed his role after taking a voluntary six-month absence opening successful precocious January erstwhile the abuse allegations first surfaced arsenic portion of a class-action suit against nan diocese for humanities sexual abuse cases.

In response to the claims, Pope Francis mandated retired Quebec judge André Denis to investigate.

While nan alleged unfortunate did not participate, Denis announced successful May that his investigation didn’t exonerate Lacroix but failed to uncover immoderate grounds that would warrant a canonical trial.

A lawyer representing nan alleged unfortunate said successful May his customer preferred to testify successful tribunal and did not wish to take portion successful nan Vatican-mandated investigation because it was an internal church process that lacked credibility.

Lacroix has denied nan allegations, which he has described arsenic “unfounded,” and the claims against him person not been tested successful court.

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In a news release, nan archbishop described nan past months arsenic a “difficult journey.” He said he’s resuming his duties because Denis’s investigation recovered nary grounds against him and because of nan support of those astir him. As well, he said he is seeking status to intervene successful nan class-action lawsuit.

Lacroix’s sanction was among 15 added to a database successful January of perpetrators successful a class-action lawsuit, authorized by nan Superior Court successful 2022, alleging sexual abuse by clergy and unit making love back to 1940. The alleged intersexual rubbing involving Lacroix took spot betwixt 1987 and 1988 in Quebec City erstwhile nan unnamed female plaintiff was 17.