(ZENIT News / Paris, 04.04.2024).- On April 3, 2024, the Civil Court of Lorient issued an historic conviction against the Community of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Spirit, against Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet and against two Apostolic Visitors of the Vatican for the “unjustified dismissal” of a nun, as considered by the Court.
The sentence orders the Community of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Spirit to pay the sum of 33,622 euros to Sister Marie Ferréol, also known as Sabine Baudin de la Valette, as compensation for duty of assistance.
In addition, the Religious Community was sentenced to pay 182,400 euros for material damages and 10,000 euros for moral damage to the dismissed nun, in solidarity with Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet and the Apostolic Visitors of the Vatican, Jean-Charles Nault and Maylis Desjobert.
Sister Marie Ferréol, 57, was dismissed in October of 2020, after living for 34 years in the Community, following the visit of Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet. This event, described as an “exclaustration,” took place for no reason and in the middle of the night, leaving the nun in a helpless situation since then.
During the trial, held on October 4, 2023, serious accusations against the nun were made evident, such as manipulation of individuals, destructive and critical comments, attacks on truth and a fighting spirit, according to the President of the Civil Chamber, Armelle Picard.
The absence of access to the Vatican’s indictment file during the judicial process surprised the magistrates. The lawyer of the Apostolic Visitors, Bertrand Ollivier, argued that there was no right of access to such a file in canonical matter.
The nun had lived without incidents in the Community since 1987, but things changed beginning in 2011, when she reported serious abuses and facts. Well-known lawyer, Adeline Le Gouvello, representing the nun, pointed out that the conviction for material and moral damages is a first step towards the admission of injustice and the nun’s moral rehabilitation.
On the other hand, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who was the Vatican’s Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at the time of the dismissal, resigned from his office in January due to “age limit.” However, the Cardinal is facing a trial in Quebec for other reasons.
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