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Cardinal Keith O'Brien resigns as Archbishop Cardinal Keith O'Brien resigns as Archbishop
(about 1 hour later)
By Robert Pigott Religious affairs correspondent, BBC NewsBy Robert Pigott Religious affairs correspondent, BBC News
Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, is stepping down as leader of the Scottish Catholic Church.Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, is stepping down as leader of the Scottish Catholic Church.
It follows claims, which he contests, of inappropriate behaviour towards priests dating back to the 1980s. He had been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards priests dating back to the 1980s, claims he contests.
In a statement, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh apologised to those he had offended for "failures" during his ministry. In a statement, Cardinal O'Brien, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh apologised to those he had offended for "failures" during his ministry.
The cardinal also confirmed he would not take part in the papal election. He will not take part in electing a new pope, leaving Britain unrepresented.
This means Britain will be unrepresented in the election of a new pontiff. The Vatican confirmed the cardinal has stepped down from his post. The Vatican confirmed the cardinal has stepped down from his post.
The Scottish Catholic Media Office said Pope Benedict had accepted the cardinal's resignation on 18 February, but the announcement of it has only just been made.The Scottish Catholic Media Office said Pope Benedict had accepted the cardinal's resignation on 18 February, but the announcement of it has only just been made.
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".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 someone to govern the archdiocese in his place until his successor is appointed. He said the pontiff would appoint someone to govern the archdiocese in his place until his successor was 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.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."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."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.""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 madeAllegations 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. href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/23/cardinal-keith-o-brien-accused-inappropriate" >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.
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. In the week before 11 February, when Pope Benedict resigned, they made claims about the cardinal's inappropriate behaviour towards them in the 1980s:
The Vatican has been able to previously bat away criticism of other cardinals who are accused of covering up abuse, but these allegations are that Cardinal O'Brien specifically was involved directly, our correspondent added.
  • 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
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  • 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
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  • A third complainant alleges dealing with what he describes as "unwanted behaviour" by the cardinal in the 1980s after some late-night drinking
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  • And the fourth complainant claims the cardinal used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact
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href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/23/cardinal-keith-o-brien-accused-inappropriate" >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. In the Vatican, the BBC's world affairs correspondent James Robbins said these allegations were harder for the Vatican to "bat away" than previous claims that other cardinals covered up sex abuse because these directly involved other priests.
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. And, he said, there was a sense of regret that Britain would have no voice in the conclave to choose Pope Benedict's successor.
The complainant says he resigned as a priest when Cardinal O'Brien was first made a bishop. Catherine Deveney, who wrote the Observer story said it was important because the cardinal had set a "moral blueprint" for the way other people should lead their lives.
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. She said the complainants were "men of integrity" who had "done a difficult thing and acted according to their conscience".
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.
Catherine Deveney, who wrote the story in the Observer about the accusations against the cardinal, told BBC Scotland this was "an extremely important story" because the cardinal had set a "moral blueprint" for the way other people should lead their lives.
She said the complainants against the cardinal were "men of integrity" who have "done a difficult thing and acted according to their conscience".
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: "It would be a great pity if a lifetime of positive work was lost from comment in the circumstances of his resignation.Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: "It would be a great pity if a lifetime of positive work was lost from comment in the circumstances of his resignation.
"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.""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. Jack Valero, from Catholic Voices, a media lobby group that represents many Catholics in Britain, said it was the right move for the cardinal to resign.
"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 - 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."
"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, href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20175530" >which last year named the cardinal as Bigot of the Year said he hoped there would be a full investigation. And that the cardinal's successor should "show a little more Christian charity towards openly gay people than the cardinal did himself".
Colin MacFarlane, director of gay rights group Stonewall Scotland, href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20175530" >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. But Clifford Longley, a religious commentator and columnist for the Catholic newspaper The Tablet, said the cardinal's resignation was "The worst thing that could possibly have happened to the church at this moment - to have another row like this when there already so many going on."
"We hope that his successor will show a little more Christian charity towards openly gay people than the cardinal did himself."
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.
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.