UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian
Lizzy Davies and Sam Jones
guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 February 2013
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who has stepped down as leader of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland, acquired a reputation for speaking his mind on homosexuality, abortion and secularism.
But it is for his resignation that he is likely to be best remembered. On Monday morning, a day after reports emerged that three serving priests and one former priest had accused him of “inappropriate acts” towards them, he resigned, saying: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today.”
The decision to step down with immediate effect means that O’Brien will not travel to Rome for the conclave to elect the next pope, leaving the UK without a vote in who will succeed Benedict XVI. His departure also leaves traditional and conservative British Catholics without one of their most outspoken leaders.
Last Friday, in an interview that surprised many, the cardinal appeared to be softening his line, suggesting that Catholic priests ought to able to marry and have children, and saying the demand for celibacy was not of “divine origin”.
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