Ottawa, Canada, Mar 1, 2019 / 15:01 pm
Archbishop Luigi Ventura, apostolic nuncio to France, has been accused of sexual misconduct against an adult male while he was nuncio in Canada. The Vatican diplomat is already under investigation for alleged sexual assault in Paris.
Christian Vachon emailed the nunciature to France Feb. 22 to file a complaint against Ventura. Vachon says that during a banquet held July 26, 2008 at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, about 20 miles northeast of Quebec, Ventura touched his buttocks at least twice. At the time, Vachon was 32.
"I believe that the 'modus operandi' of Archbishop Ventura has left a doubt in the conscience of the victim as to whether he was truly a victim of touch," Vachon's email to the nunciature read, according to Présence, a French Canadian religious news service.
Ventura, 74, was apostolic nuncio to Canada from 2001 to 2009.