CARDINAL Keith O’Brien is coming under pressure to return his red hat to the Vatican and resign from the College of Cardinals.
According to some senior Catholics, O’Brien’s retention of the title and his determination to stay in Scotland after admitting to sexually inappropriate behaviour with priests is damaging the church.
Michael Kelly, a former Celtic director and lord provost of Glasgow, said O’Brien had let down his parishioners and that, by remaining as a cardinal and retiring in Scotland, he was making it difficult for the church to move on.
Confirming his intention to retire quietly in Dunbar, East Lothian, O’Brien, who resigned as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh earlier this year, said that he had received support from people who accepted he was sorry for the offence he had caused.
It was reported last week that he has been advised by the Vatican to leave Scotland, after an appeal for action by Scotland’s Catholic leadership, although this has not been confirmed.
Kelly said O’Brien must do penance. “In these circumstances three Hail Marys and a Glory Be is not enough,” he said. “I would have thought that for the good of the church, and for his own good, that he should choose to live abroad for a couple of years, not a lifetime exile. Certainly he should have resigned from the College of Cardinals.
“He has said he is sorry, he wants to repent and he has asked people to forgive him. Well, it’s such a serious matter — not in terms of the homosexuality but in terms of the hypocrisy, having misled his parishioners and the people of Scotland for so long, preaching one thing and doing another. I think that’s just too serious to say, ‘Let’s just draw a line under it because he has said he is sorry.’ ”
Another senior church source agreed, saying O’Brien’s presence was causing “exasperation and frustration” and suggested he follow the example of other disgraced priests who left the country in the 1990s.
However, others argue that O’Brien continues to be held in high regard by many and has been punished enough.
Margo MacDonald, MSP, said forcing O’Brien to leave Scotland would show “a lack of charity”.
Cardinal O’Brien was not available for comment.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Cardinal O'Brien told to return red hat
Jason Allerdyce
The Sunday Times (UK)
May 12, 2013
CARDINAL Keith O’Brien is coming under pressure to return his red hat to the Vatican and resign from the College of Cardinals.
According to some senior Catholics, O’Brien’s retention of the title and his determination to stay in Scotland after admitting to sexually inappropriate behaviour with priests is damaging the church.
Michael Kelly, a former Celtic director and lord provost of Glasgow, said O’Brien had let down his parishioners and that, by remaining as a cardinal and retiring in Scotland, he was making it difficult for the church to move on.
Confirming his intention to retire quietly in Dunbar, East Lothian, O’Brien, who resigned as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh earlier this year, said that he had received support from people who accepted he was sorry for the offence he had caused.
It was reported last week that he has been advised by the Vatican to leave Scotland, after an appeal for action by Scotland’s Catholic leadership, although this has not been confirmed.
Kelly said O’Brien must do penance. “In these circumstances three Hail Marys and a Glory Be is not enough,” he said. “I would have thought that for the good of the church, and for his own good, that he should choose to live abroad for a couple of years, not a lifetime exile. Certainly he should have resigned from the College of Cardinals.
“He has said he is sorry, he wants to repent and he has asked people to forgive him. Well, it’s such a serious matter — not in terms of the homosexuality but in terms of the hypocrisy, having misled his parishioners and the people of Scotland for so long, preaching one thing and doing another. I think that’s just too serious to say, ‘Let’s just draw a line under it because he has said he is sorry.’ ”
Another senior church source agreed, saying O’Brien’s presence was causing “exasperation and frustration” and suggested he follow the example of other disgraced priests who left the country in the 1990s.
However, others argue that O’Brien continues to be held in high regard by many and has been punished enough.
Margo MacDonald, MSP, said forcing O’Brien to leave Scotland would show “a lack of charity”.
Cardinal O’Brien was not available for comment.
CARDINAL Keith O’Brien is coming under pressure to return his red hat to the Vatican and resign from the College of Cardinals.
According to some senior Catholics, O’Brien’s retention of the title and his determination to stay in Scotland after admitting to sexually inappropriate behaviour with priests is damaging the church.
Michael Kelly, a former Celtic director and lord provost of Glasgow, said O’Brien had let down his parishioners and that, by remaining as a cardinal and retiring in Scotland, he was making it difficult for the church to move on.
Confirming his intention to retire quietly in Dunbar, East Lothian, O’Brien, who resigned as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh earlier this year, said that he had received support from people who accepted he was sorry for the offence he had caused.
It was reported last week that he has been advised by the Vatican to leave Scotland, after an appeal for action by Scotland’s Catholic leadership, although this has not been confirmed.
Kelly said O’Brien must do penance. “In these circumstances three Hail Marys and a Glory Be is not enough,” he said. “I would have thought that for the good of the church, and for his own good, that he should choose to live abroad for a couple of years, not a lifetime exile. Certainly he should have resigned from the College of Cardinals.
“He has said he is sorry, he wants to repent and he has asked people to forgive him. Well, it’s such a serious matter — not in terms of the homosexuality but in terms of the hypocrisy, having misled his parishioners and the people of Scotland for so long, preaching one thing and doing another. I think that’s just too serious to say, ‘Let’s just draw a line under it because he has said he is sorry.’ ”
Another senior church source agreed, saying O’Brien’s presence was causing “exasperation and frustration” and suggested he follow the example of other disgraced priests who left the country in the 1990s.
However, others argue that O’Brien continues to be held in high regard by many and has been punished enough.
Margo MacDonald, MSP, said forcing O’Brien to leave Scotland would show “a lack of charity”.
Cardinal O’Brien was not available for comment.
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