SCOTLAND
Daily Record

THE resignation of Britain’s most senior Catholic has been felt world-wide in the run up to the selection of the next Pope.

CARDINAL Keith O’Brien’s decision not to take part in the conclave to elect the next pope has heaped pressure on other scandal-hit cardinals to follow his lead.

Several senior Catholic figures from around the world are planning to travel to Rome despite the fact they’ve been embroiled in damning claims of abuse cover-ups.

Father Tony Flannery, of the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland, believes many of them will now be feeling the heat. He said: “Cardinal O’Brien has taken the decision on his own not to attend the conclave and that’s significant.