Things just keep getting worse at the Vatican. Britain’s top Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, resigned on Monday as archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with priests. O’Brien will not be allowed to participate in the papal election for Pope Benedict’s successor, leaving Britain without a representative. He was set to retire after taking part in the papal election. On Sunday, Britain’s Observer reported that three priests and one former priest had complained to the pope’s representative in Britain about O’Brien’s behavior, with the former priest accusing O’Brien of making sexual advances toward him in 1980. The complainant said he resigned as a priest “to preserve [his] integrity” after O’Brien became a bishop. – The Daily Beast, 25 February 2013
BBC Analysis
The resignation of Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the wake of allegations of improper behaviour creates a crisis for the Church in Scotland, and represents a heavy blow to the wider Church as it battles to shore up its reputation ahead of the papal election or “conclave”.
The conclave is already expected to be difficult in the circumstances created by Pope Benedict’s unprecedented resignation.
The Vatican is also struggling to deal with reports of internal corruption and mismanagement.
Cardinal O’Brien’s resignation is also a personal tragedy for himself.
In resigning his post at the head of the Scottish Catholic Church, Cardinal O’Brien blights the end of an illustrious career only a few weeks before he was due to retire.
Cardinal O’Brien will be remembered in particular as a forthright defender – occasionally in outspoken and colourful terms – of Catholic teaching on abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien resigns as Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh – Robert Pigott
Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, is stepping down as leader of the Scottish Catholic Church. It follows allegations – which he contests – of inappropriate behaviour towards priests dating from the 1980s. [Details of the ‘inappropriate behaviour’ are in Catherine Deveney’s article below. – Ed]
In a statement, he apologised to those he had offended during his ministry.
The cardinal confirmed he would not take part in the election for a successor to the Pope – leaving Britain unrepresented in the election.
The Vatican confirmed that the cardinal has stepped down from his post.
Cardinal O’Brien said in his statement he had already tendered his resignation as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, due to take effect when he turned 75 next month, but Pope Benedict “has now decided that my resignation will take effect today”.
He said the pontiff would appoint an apostolic administrator to govern the archdiocese in his place until his successor is appointed.
The cardinal also said: “I have valued the opportunity of serving the people of Scotland and overseas in various ways since becoming a priest.
“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.
“I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me – but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor.
“However, I will pray with them and for them that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they will make the correct choice for the future good of the Church.”
Allegations made
His role as Britain’s only representative in the papal election next month would have been one of his last acts before he retired.
The BBC’s world affairs correspondent, James Robbins, said there will be a sense of regret at the Vatican that Britain will have no voice in the choice of Pope Benedict’s successor.
The Observer reported that the three priests and one former priest – from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh – complained to the Pope’s representative to Britain, nuncio Antonio Mennini, in the week before 11 February, when Pope Benedict announced his resignation, of what they claimed was the cardinal’s inappropriate behaviour towards them in the 1980s. [See The Observer article below.- Ed]
The former priest claims Cardinal O’Brien made an inappropriate approach to him in 1980, after night prayers, when he was a seminarian at St Andrew’s College, Drygrange.
The complainant says he resigned as a priest when Cardinal O’Brien was first made a bishop.
A second statement from another complainant says he was living in a parish when he was visited by O’Brien, and inappropriate contact took place between them.
A third complainant alleges dealing with what he describes as “unwanted behaviour” by the cardinal in the 1980s after some late-night drinking.
And the fourth complainant claims the cardinal used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact.
“None of us know the outcome of the investigation into the claims made against him but I have found him to be a good man for his church and country.”
Jack Valero, from Catholic Voices, a media lobby group that represents many Catholics in the UK, says the allegations against the cardinal have been handled properly.
“I think it’s right that he’s resigned, faced with these allegations.
“I am very happy that they have been taken seriously, that the nuncio – who is the Pope’s representative in the UK – has written to the four people who have made the allegations to thank them for speaking out, and that the whole thing has been done so quickly. I think this shows a new spirit.”
Colin MacFarlane, director of gay rights group Stonewall Scotland, which last year named the cardinal as Bigot of the Year said: “We trust there will be a full investigation into the serious allegations made against Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
“We hope that his successor will show a little more Christian charity towards openly gay people than the cardinal did himself.” [If there is a Hypocrite of the Year award, it may be given to the carnal cardinal too. – Ed]
Clifford Longley, a religious commentator and columnist for the Catholic newspaper The Tablet, said the cardinal’s resignation was “devastating”.
“The worst thing that could possibly have happened to the church at this moment is to have another row like this when there already so many going on,” he said.
Cardinal O’Brien missed celebrating Sunday Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, which marked Pope Benedict’s eight years in office, ahead of the pontiff stepping down this week.
Last week Cardinal O’Brien said he believed priests should be able to marry if they wished to do so, saying the new Pope could consider whether the Roman Catholic Church should change its stance on some issues not of divine origin. – BBC News, 25 February 2013
UK’s top cardinal accused of ‘inappropriate acts’ by priests – Catherine Deveney
Three priests and a former priest in Scotland have reported the most senior Catholic clergyman in Britain, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, to the Vatican over allegations of inappropriate behaviour stretching back 30 years.
The four, from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, have complained to nuncio Antonio Mennini, the Vatican’s ambassador to Britain, and demanded O’Brien’s immediate resignation. A spokesman for the cardinal said that the claims were contested.
O’Brien, who is due to retire next month, has been an outspoken opponent of gay rights, condemning homosexuality as immoral, opposing gay adoption, and most recently arguing that same-sex marriages would be “harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of those involved”. Last year he was named “bigot of the year” by the gay rights charity Stonewall.
One of the complainants, it is understood, alleges that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him, resulting in a need for long-term psychological counselling.
The four submitted statements containing their claims to the nuncio’s office the week before Pope Benedict’s resignation on 11 February. They fear that, if O’Brien travels to the forthcoming papal conclave to elect a new pope, the church will not fully address their complaints.
“It tends to cover up and protect the system at all costs,” said one of the complainants. “The church is beautiful, but it has a dark side and that has to do with accountability. If the system is to be improved, maybe it needs to be dismantled a bit.”
The revelation of the priests’ complaints will be met with consternation in the Vatican. Allegations of sexual abuse by members of the church have dogged the papacy of Benedict XVI, who is to step down as pope at the end of this month. Following the announcement, rumours have swirled in Rome that Benedict’s shock move may be connected to further scandals to come.
The four priests asked a senior figure in the diocese to act as their representative to the nuncio’s office. Through this representative, the nuncio replied, in emails seen by the Observer, that he appreciated their courage.
It is understood that the first allegation against the cardinal dates back to 1980. The complainant, who is now married, was then a 20-year-old seminarian at St Andrew’s College, Drygrange, where O’Brien was his “spiritual director”. The Observer understands that the statement claims O’Brien made an inappropriate approach after night prayers.
The seminarian says he was too frightened to report the incident, but says his personality changed afterwards, and his teachers regularly noted that he seemed depressed. He was ordained, but he told the nuncio in his statement that he resigned when O’Brien was promoted to bishop. “I knew then he would always have power over me. It was assumed I left the priesthood to get married. I did not. I left to preserve my integrity.”
In a second statement, “Priest A” describes being happily settled in a parish when he claims he was visited by O’Brien and inappropriate contact between the two took place.
In a third statement, “Priest B” claims that he was starting his ministry in the 1980s when he was invited to spend a week “getting to know” O’Brien at the archbishop’s residence. His statement alleges that he found himself dealing with what he describes as unwanted behaviour by the cardinal after a late-night drinking session.
“Priest C” was a young priest the cardinal was counselling over personal problems. Priest C’s statement claims that O’Brien used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact.
The cardinal maintained contact with “Priest C” over a period of time, and the statement to the nuncio’s office alleges that he engineered at least one other intimate situation. O’Brien is, says “Priest C”, very charismatic, and being sought out by the superior who was supposed to be guiding him was both troubling and flattering.
Those involved believe the cardinal abused his position. “You have to understand,” explains the ex-priest, “the relationship between a bishop and a priest. At your ordination, you take a vow to be obedient to him.
“He’s more than your boss, more than the CEO of your company. He has immense power over you. He can move you, freeze you out, bring you into the fold … he controls every aspect of your life. You can’t just kick him in the balls.”
All four have been reluctant to raise their concerns. They are, though, concerned that the church will ignore their complaints, and want the conclave electing the new pope to be “clean”. According to canon law, no cardinal who is eligible to vote can be prevented from doing so. – The Observer, 23 February 2013
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