UNITED KINGDOM
NBC News
By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC News
LONDON — Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behavior made by priests.
The Vatican said Monday that Pope Benedict XVI had formally accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh. The Observer newspaper reported Sunday that the Vatican had been notified of allegations of inappropriate behavior stretching back 30 years.
Three priests in Scotland, as well as a former priest, have lodged complaints to the Vatican’s ambassador to Britain and demanded O’Brien’s immediate resignation, according to the newspaper.
The 74-year-old cardinal has contested the claims and said he is taking legal advice.
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