Cardinal steps down amid sexual claims
2013-02-25 16:27
London - Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's most senior
Roman Catholic cleric, has resigned with immediate effect in the wake of
allegations of inappropriate behaviour, he said in a statement on Monday.
O'Brien, who as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh
was leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, denies allegations that he made
sexual advances towards priests in the 1980s.
He had been due to be the only cardinal from Britain to
vote on a replacement for Pope Benedict XVI following the pontiff's shock
resignation on 11 February.
But O'Brien confirmed that he would not now take part in
next month's conclave.
"I will not join them for this conclave in
person," he said.
"I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused
on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor."
In his resignation statement, O'Brien said: "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."
O'Brien had been due to resign on his 75th birthday next
month, but he said: "The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation
will take effect today, 25 February 2013."
The allegations include claims that one priest received
unwanted attention from O'Brien after a late-night drinking session, Britain's
Guardian newspaper reported.
Another priest reportedly claims that O'Brien used night
prayers as cover for inappropriate contact.
O'Brien has previously angered the gay community with his
hard-line public stance on homosexuality.
He was named "bigot of the year" last year by
the gay rights charity Stonewall.
He recently said that same-sex marriages would be
"harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of those
involved" and has long voiced opposition to gay adoption.
But in comments this week he also called for the Catholic
Church to end its celibacy rule for the priesthood.
Scandals
A string of new scandals and allegations have emerged
since Benedict became only the second pope in the church's 2 000-year history
to step down of his own free will.
Four members of the conclave are associated with the
paedophile priest scandals that have dominated the German pope's eight-year
rule.
Thousands of American Catholics have signed a petition
calling for US cardinal Roger Mahony, accused of covering up for paedophile
priests in Los Angeles for years, to give up his vote in the conclave.
And while 85-year-old Benedict cited his age as the main
factor in his resignation, media have speculated that an explosive report into
last year's "Vatileaks" scandal may have played a role.
The scandal saw Benedict's butler arrested, convicted and
later pardoned for leaking confidential papers to the press.
The Vatican said on Monday that the report on the
scandal, which exposed intrigue and corruption in the church, would be shown
exclusively to the future pope.
