UNITED KINGDOM
Belfast Telegraph

27 February 2013

The Catholic Church in Scotland has said the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien had not been brought forward because of allegations of “inappropriate” behaviour towards fellow priests reported on Sunday.

The Catholic Church in Britain was plunged into crisis on Monday after the resignation of Cardinal O’Brien as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

The cardinal – originally from Ballycastle, Co Antrim – has denied the allegations.

Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, said: “When it comes to responding to the allegations I think what he will do is act on his legal advice, and the legal advice at the moment would be to not publicly engage with the detail… of the allegations.