"Baffled by Accusations’: Cardinal Keith O'brien Said to Be "Vulnerable and Very Upset"

The Mirror
February 26, 2013

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cardinal-keith-obrien-said-vulnerable-1732863

Allegations: Cardinal Keith O'Brien denies claims of "inappropriate acts"

Cardinal Keith O’Brien today continued to deny strenuously the “anonymous and non-specific” allegations that led to his resignation.

Colleagues said he was “vulnerable and very upset”, and knew neither what he is alleged to have done nor who had made the allegations.

Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric quit aged 75 on Monday.

He was accused of “inappropriate behaviour” in the 80s by three priests and an ex-priest to papal nuncio Antonio Mennini.

He will not attend the conclave to elect a new Pope in Rome, where Benedict XVI steps down on Thursday with the title Pope Emeritus.

The Pontiff will wear a simple white cassock, give up his “fisherman’s ring” and swap his traditional red shoes for brown ones.

Cardinal O’Brien was not put under pressure by the Vatican to stay away from the coming conclave, said a spokesman for his Glasgow archdiocese today.