Agencies: Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who was once considered a strong candidate for the papacy, has been accused of sexual assault in a class-action lawsuit targeting more than 80 clergy members in the Diocese of Quebec, according to court documents released Tuesday.

The accusation of alleged abuse against a trainee from 2008 to 2010 - when he was Archbishop of Quebec - comes just weeks after Pope Francis's visit to Canada, where he apologized for decades of abuse against Indigenous children in a Catholic-run residence.

Ouellet is the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, one of the most important positions in the Vatican government. At the last papal conclave that elevated Francis to the papacy, Ouellet was mentioned among the favorites. All cardinals under 80 are eligible. Ouellet is now 78 years old.

The Diocese of Quebec, when contacted by Agence France-Presse, stated in a statement that it "has taken note of the allegations concerning Cardinal Marc Ouellet" and had no further comment. The Vatican did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

The lawsuits filed against Ouellet in the civil case, which the Quebec Superior Court ruled could proceed in May, are among testimonies of 101 people who said they were sexually abused by clergy and church staff from 1940 to the present day.

The accuser of Ouellet, identified only as "F," said the cardinal assaulted her several times—first "forcefully" massaging her shoulders, and once moving his hand from her back to her buttocks.

The accuser says she felt "hunted," according to the documents. The documents show that when the woman tried to raise the issue, she was told she was not the only woman to have such a "problem" with Ouellet.

She was later advised to write a letter to Pope Francis about her accusations. She was then informed that Francis had appointed someone to investigate Ouellet. The woman has not heard any conclusions from this investigation. So far, the cardinal is not facing criminal charges.

In February, Ouellet opened a Vatican seminar on the priesthood by apologizing for "undeserving" clergy and the cover-up of sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy, in front of an audience that included Pope Francis.

Ouellet said at that time: "We have all been torn apart and humbled by these critical questions asked of us every day as members of the Church."

He added that the seminar was an opportunity to express regret and ask victims for forgiveness after their lives were "destroyed by arbitrary and criminal behavior" that was either hidden or mishandled with disdain to protect the institution and the perpetrators.

Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has striven to address decades-long sexual abuse scandals, although many activists against child sexual abuse insist more must be done.

In Canada, the Church faces several class-action lawsuits related to sexual misconduct. CBC reported that in the western part of the country, more than 30 students filed lawsuits against several officials at a Christian school.