Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet has denied making “inappropriate gestures” toward a former church intern who claims she endured unwanted touching by the former Archbishop of Quebec.

In his first public reaction, Ouellet referred to “false accusations made against me.”

“I firmly deny having made any inappropriate gestures toward her and I consider defamatory the interpretation and dissemination of these allegations as sexual assault,” he said in a statement that was published on Vatican News, a website run by the Vatican.

In a statement of claim filed this week as part of a class-action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Quebec, a woman identified only as “F.” alleges that Ouellet hugged her, massaged her, made inappropriate comments and, on one occasion, touched her buttocks.

The claims have not been tested in court and a statement of defence has not been filed in the case.

The alleged events occurred between 2008 and 2010 when the woman was in her early 20s and Ouellet was in his mid-60s and one of the top Roman Catholic clerics in the country.

The allegations were transmitted to the Vatican in early 2021 and subject to a preliminary investigation by a Catholic priest appointed by Pope Francis.

On Thursday, the Vatican said the investigator had found no grounds to initiate a broader sexual assault investigation against Ouellet, a conclusion with which Pope Francis ultimately agreed.

In 2010, Ouellet was called to Rome by Pope Benedict XVI and named prefect of the...

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