VATICAN CITY
Catholic News Service
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien, 74, announced he would not participate in the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI’s successor because he did not want media attention focused on him instead of the election of a new pope.
Pope Benedict XVI had accepted the cardinal’s resignation as archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh Feb. 18, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman told reporters Feb. 25.
The British newspaper The Observer reported Feb. 23 that three priests and a former priest had accused the cardinal of “inappropriate conduct” with them going back to the 1980s. Father Lombardi had told reporters Feb. 24 that Pope Benedict had been informed about the accusations and “the issue is now in his hands.”
Cardinal O’Brien, 74, has denied the allegations and, according to his spokesman, is seeking legal advice.
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