Not enough evidence to investigate Quebec Cardinal accused of sexual assault, Pope says

Pope Francis issued a statement Thursday morning saying there is insufficient evidence to open a church investigation into Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the former archbishop of Quebec.

Ouellet, who works at the Vatican and who is seen as a potential successor to the Pope, is one of the 88 clergy members named in a sexual assault lawsuit against the archdiocese of Quebec made public Tuesday.

The class action lawsuit represents more than 100 alleged victims who say they were sexually assaulted, most of them as minors, by priests and other staff working for the archdiocese since 1940.

More information to come.