Britain's Top Catholic Cleric Cardinal Keith O'Brien Quits Amid Claims of 'Inappropriate Ac

By Ross Lydall
London Evening Standard
February 25, 2013

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/britains-top-catholic-cleric-cardinal-keith-obrien-quits-amid-claims-of-inappropriate-acts-against-priests-8509679.html

Quit: Cardinal Keith O'Brien

Britain’s most senior Catholic cleric quit today following allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” towards young priests dating from the Eighties.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, 74, said the Pope, who himself steps down on Thursday due to ill health, had decided that he should go now.

By leaving his post as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh he will not now take part in the election by the College of Cardinals of a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.

It is another body blow to Britain’s four million Catholics following the shock decision by Benedict to become the first pontiff to quit in 600 years.

Cardinal O’Brien, who had planned to retire next month on his 75th birthday, faces allegations from three priests and a former priest which he denies.

He did not address the claims directly in his resignation statement but said: “I apologise to all whom I have offended.”

The head of the Catholic Church in Scotland said he had tendered his resignation “some months ago”, adding: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today. 

“Looking back over my years of ministry: For any good I have been able to do, I thank God. For any failures, I apologise to all whom I have offended.” He made it clear he did not wish to be the subject of press attention during the election of a new Pope.

The claims emerged over the weekend and were denied by the cardinal. But they added to a series of controversies to hit Benedict’s papacy, including the allegations that the church conspired to cover up sex abuse by priests.

The allegations reportedly centred on late-night drinking and inappropriate contact involving the three priests, who are all serving in Scotland, and the former priest, who is now married.

One complainant was then 20 and claims Cardinal O’Brien made an inappropriate approach after night prayers.

The complainant said he was too frightened to report the incident, and became depressed. He was ordained, but resigned when Cardinal O’Brien was promoted to bishop in the mid-Eighties.

The second complainant claims he was visited by Cardinal O’Brien and inappropriate contact between the two took place, while the third alleges he found himself dealing with what he describes as unwanted behaviour by the cardinal after a late-night drinking session. The final allegation involved a young priest the cardinal was counselling over personal problems.

Clifford Longley, a religious commentator and a columnist for Catholic newspaper The Tablet, said  Cardinal O’Brien’s early exit was  “devastating”.

He added: “The worst thing that could possibly have happened to the Church at this moment is to have another row like this when there are already so many going on.” In 2007 the cardinal, speaking on the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act, said the termination rate north of the border was equivalent to “two Dunblane massacres a day”.

Last year he was named Bigot of the Year by gay campaign group Stonewall for his opposition to same-sex marriage. Colin Macfarlane, Scotland director of Stonewall, said: “We hope his successor will show a little more Christian charity towards openly gay people than the cardinal did himself.”