Catholic cleric accused of inappropriate behaviour
Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric should be allowed to help choose the next Pope despite inappropriate behaviour claims, the former archbishop of Westminster said yesterday.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor expressed sadness at the allegations – which are denied – which have been made against Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of the church in Scotland.
Three priests and a former priest have complained to the Vatican about behaviour towards them going back 30 years, according to The Observer. They are reported to be demanding Cardinal O’Brien’s immediate resignation.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said: “I was obviously very sad to hear that.
“The cardinal has denied the allegations, so I think we will just have to see how that pans out. There have been other cases which have been a great scandal to the Church over these past years. I think the Church has faced up to some of them very well indeed.”
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said it was up to Cardinal O’Brien – who is reported to have sought legal advice –“how he faces the allegations”.
He pointed out that Cardinal O’Brien was due to retire when he turns 75 next month.
Asked whether he should still be able to go to the Vatican to take part in the selection of Pope Benedict’s successor, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said: “That is up to Cardinal O’Brien to decide... it will be up to him, and I think rightly so. The allegations have not been proved in any way.”
Cardinal O’Brien, who was born in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, has been the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh since 1985. He has been an outspoken opponent of plans to legalise same-sex marriage. He has said he has not yet decided who should be elected as Pope during the conclave, which is expected to be held next month.
The claims emerged just days after Cardinal O’Brien called for the Catholic Church to end its celibacy rule for the priesthood. He said that many priests struggle to cope with celibacy and should be allowed to marry if they wish.
The cardinal is the only British Roman Catholic cleric able to vote in the upcoming conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI following his decision to resign.
He told the BBC: “I’d be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether they could or should be married. It’s a free world and I realise that many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy as they lived out their priesthood, and felt the need of a companion, of a woman, to whom they could get married and raise a family of their own.”
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Hugh O Neill
Feb 26th, 19:29
Cardinal O Brien's resignation was accepted a week before any allegations of inappropriate behaviour made headlines in The Observer. There was never any question of paedophilia. The UK tabloids ( surprise, surprise!) are having a field day, portraying him as a bosom friend of Savile ! Innocent until proven guilty. The accusers should step forward 30 years down the line.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 16:25
Cardinal O´Brien´s resignation is another blow to the Catholic Church, which is already in turmoil internationally over issues that include child sexual abuse, internal corruption following revelations in documents released by Pope´s Benedict´s former butler, and recently disclosed mismanagement of church funds by the Vatican bank. The Church lost its reputation completely.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 16:03
Cardinal O´Brien´s resignation is another blow to the Catholic Church, which is already in turmoil internationally over issues that include child sexual abuse, internal corruption following revelations in documents released by Pope´s Benedict´s former butler, and recently disclosed mismanagement of church funds by the Vatican bank.
Mano' Xerri
Feb 26th, 15:48
No comment.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:24
5. Cardinal O´Brien said in a statement that he is in „ indifferent health“ and had offered his resignation last November.
The reality shows the scandal goes on and will not stop. It makes human beings speechless. The reputation of the Catholic Church is again tremendously damaged.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:23
4. It was the first time that a Cardinal has said he was staying away from a Conclave because of personal scandal, and comes in the wake of a grass-roots campaign to shame another Cardinal, retired Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, into refraining from participating of his role in protecting sexually abusive priests.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:22
4. It was the first time that a Cardinal has said he was staying away from a Conclave because of personal scandal, and comes in the wake of a grass-roots campaign to shame another Cardinal, retired Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, into refraining from participating of his rolein protecting sexually abusive priests.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:22
3. The Cardinal has said through his spokesman that he is contesting allegations made last Sunday in a British newspaper that three priests and a former priest have filed complaints to the Vatican alleging that he had acted inappropriately with them. There were no details about the alleged inappropriate behaviour.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:21
2. The Pope accepted the Cardinal´s resignation as Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh-submitted in November last- because he is due to turn 75 next month, the normal retirement age for bishops. But simultaneously, the Cardinal issued a statement on Monday saying he would skip the Conclave because he didn´t want to become the focus of media attention at such a delicate time for the church.
Kurt Waschnig
Feb 26th, 14:21
1. Cardinal Keith O´Brien, Britain´s highest ranking Catholic leader, said on Monday that he wouldn´t take part in the Conclave to elect the next Pope after being accused of improper conduct with priests, an unprecedented first head to roll in the mudslinging that has followed Pope Benedict´s XVI decision to resign.
Anthony Caruana
Feb 26th, 20:57
Kurt, All these postings of yours add nothing to what the newspapers have printed.TThe reputation of the Catholic Church in YOUR eyes has been completely lost, fair comment you are entited to express what you feel even if it conflicts with the majority view of the 1.2 billion members of the church. Bye the way in case you do not know Catholics know that the head of the church is Jesus Christ.
Louise Vella
Feb 26th, 12:50
Where are the good Maltese priests we can count on for their courage, their integrity and their purpose to stand for the truth no matter what it takes, how long it takes or who it upsets?
Mr Terry Gosden
Feb 26th, 13:32
Louise:
The young Priest in St Joseph's home who did stand up, and blew the whistle on the perverted within his own order. Was destrought and villified by others within the same order. He left Malta years ago, very upset, and depressed. Yet he was by far the very best, of the best. There should be an open enquirey into that issue alone.
Andrew Azzopardi
Feb 26th, 12:04
Very sad - Cardinal O’Brien is the victim of a character assination orchestrated by the gay lobby and the the 'liberal' media to punish him for witnessing the truth.
I Bugeja
Feb 26th, 14:05
Why resign if everything is done in the name of truth?
Mr Terry Gosden
Feb 26th, 09:32
You are correct Susan, the Brits do not give a fig about the Catholic Church, but they get rid of the Perverts inside it and other institutions. Unlike here sadly........
Ian Glazier
Feb 26th, 13:33
Agree entirely.
The other two thirds don't give a toss about him.Why should they.
What they do give a toss about is the Paedophilia amongst his hierarchy who commit abuse against innocent victims worldwide.
Hopefully the man in question if found guilty will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Susan Cassar
Feb 25th, 21:03
Can't understand why the Brits are so interested in the Pope all of a sudden...over two thirds don't believe and some even planned to have Pope Benidict arrested when he visited..what shallow hypocrites..
Joseph Grech
Feb 26th, 09:42
That's so right.
Shaun Camilleri
Feb 26th, 09:58
So if one third of the brits believe, there are still more brits nationals believers than there are Maltese believers, right?
Please choose the reason of your report below: