‘predatory’ O’brien Now Faces More Sex Claims

By David Scott
Express
March 28, 2015

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/566908/Cardinal-O-Brien-faces-more-sex-claims

Pope Francis banished O'Brien from public life

One priest allegedly abused by the former leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics claimed he would groom young clerics while hearing their confessions.

The allegations come days after O’Brien was stripped of high office and banished from public life by the Pope after a damning report.

Pope Francis last week agreed to O’Brien’s request to withdraw his “rights and duties” as a cardinal.

The highly unusual step, last taken in 1927, followed “private and prayerful discussion” between the two men.

O’Brien now leads a “strictly private life” as a cardinal in name only.

His career was ended by accusations of inappropriate behaviour against five priests in the 1980s.

But one of his accusers has now claimed that at least 40 cases of sexual misconduct took place.

The priest, who is not gay, said O’Brien made an “unmistakable” sexual advance to him at Archbishop’s House in Edinburgh in 1990.

He told Catholic newspaper The Tablet he did not make a complaint at the time because the Church hierarchy would not have believed him.

The priest said: “You’re controlled. You have no freedom of movement, of action. He can determine what your life is like.”

He also alleged that O’Brien used the sacrament of confession to groom younger men for sexual contact.

“This is not a matter of people coming to him to confess, but him approaching them,” the priest said.

“It’s not the fact that he was gay, which everyone knew about – but that he was a predator.” O’Brien’s conduct was investigated by Papal envoy Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who was sent to Scotland last year to interview the men involved in the scandal.

His report, which will not be made public in order to protect the men, was handed to the Pope before last week’s meeting.

During their talks, O’Brien expressed sorrow and regret and pleaded to be allowed to renounce his rights and duties as a cardinal.

O’Brien, who resigned as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in 2013, is now thought to live in exile in Northumberland. He will never again play any role in the Church.

Archbishop Leo Cushley, O’Brien’s successor, said: “Cardinal O’Brien’s behaviour distressed many, demoralised faithful Catholics and made the Church less credible to those who are not Catholic. I’d like to express sorrow and regret to those distressed by his actions.”

A Church spokesman said of the new claims: “Cardinal O’Brien refers any further inquiries regarding his past or present situation to the statements issued by the Holy See Press Office on March 20 or by himself on the same date.”