Pope Accepts Resignation of Cardinal Keith O'brien

RTE News
March 20, 2015

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0320/688482-pope-cardinal/

Cardinal Keith O'Brien was Archbishop of the St Andrews and Edinburgh diocese from 1985 until 2013

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the disgraced Irishman who resigned two years ago as Archbishop of Edinburgh after admitting to sexual misconduct.

Scotland's Catholic bishops have welcomed the unprecedented decision.

Cardinal O'Brien resigned as Archbishop two years ago following allegations by three priests and a former priest that he had behaved inappropriately towards them.

He admitted his sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of him.

In a statement today, he repeated his profound apology of two years ago and thanked the pope for "his fatherly care" of him and of those he has offended in any way.

Following the allegations, the Cardinal had failed to travel to Rome for the election of a successor to Pope Benedict the Sixteenth.

Today's resignation disqualifies him from participating in future Papal elections.

This morning's statement from the Scottish Bishops' says the Cardinal will also "be reduced to a strictly private life with no further participation in any public, religious or civil events".

Born in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, Cardinal O'Brien was Archbishop of the St Andrews and Edinburgh diocese from 1985 until 2013.