The Canadian cardinal Marc Ouellet attended a mass held by the Pope in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, 2022, at the Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Mother Marie Ferréol was wrongfully dismissed from her Catholic community in Pontcallec, near Vannes, in the spring of 2021, “without having committed any offenses, based on unsubstantiated reasons.” The civil chamber of the Lorient tribunal in Morbihan ordered the Dominican community of the Holy Spirit to pay 33,622 euros to the nun for support, and jointly with Cardinal Marc Ouellet and the “inspectors” appointed by the Vatican, Jean-Charles Nault and Maylis Desjobert, to pay a sum of 182,400 euros for material damage, as well as 10,000 euros for moral damages – totaling over 200,000 euros.
Mother Marie Ferréol, also known as Sabine Baudin de La Valette, 58 years old, filed a lawsuit against the Quebecois cardinal Marc Ouellet, the former prefect residing in Rome, on August 3, 2023, seeking redress for the wrongdoings and material and moral harm she had suffered. Ouellet had personally signed the decree for the nun’s permanent dismissal, who had spent thirty-four years in Pontcallec, a traditionalist community overseeing several educational institutions like the Saint-Pie-X school in Saint-Cloud. Following his visit, Marie Ferréol was “excluded” (expelled) at night, in secret, without informing her family of her whereabouts, isolated and subjected to penance at the Solesmes Abbey. She was later asked to leave her habit. The reasons for her dismissal were kept confidential, with Dom Nault only specifying to Le Monde that it was not a “sexual” or moral issue.
The Vatican did not respond to the appeal made by the Dominican nun of Pontcallec when she addressed Pope Francis. According to the court judgment, it was not proven that the decree of exclusion signed by Cardinal Ouellet had received any papal approval. Renowned author and member of the French Academy, lawyer François Sureau, expressed his dismay in a letter published by Le Monde, criticizing the disregard for due process and the violation of fundamental rights in this case. The tribunal emphasized the right of every individual to know the exact nature of the accusations against them before being subjected to any sanctions.
The tribunal’s ruling in favor of Mother Marie Ferréol highlighted the lack of transparency and adherence to legal principles in her expulsion from the community. The tribunal emphasized the need for a fair and just process in such matters, pointing out the importance of respecting the rights and dignity of all individuals involved. The case raised concerns about the abuse of power and the lack of accountability within certain religious institutions, calling for greater oversight and transparency to prevent similar injustices in the future. The verdict served as a form of vindication for Mother Marie Ferréol, recognizing and compensating her for the suffering and mistreatment she endured as a result of her wrongful dismissal.
