VATICAN CITY
KOSU
Filed by KOSU News in World News.
February 25, 2013
On the Monday of Pope Benedict XVI’s final week as leader of the Roman Catholic Church begins, there’s word that:
– Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric has resigned and will not be taking part in the conclave of cardinals that will select the next pope. As NPR’s Philip Reeves reports from London, “Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s decision was announced a day after revelations that he behaved inappropriately with several priests.”
– Benedict has, as it was rumored he might, decided to allow the cardinals to begin the conclave earlier than rules require. If all the cardinals who are eligible to vote have gathered at the Vatican, the Associated Press and Reuters report, they won’t be required to wait the 15 days after Benedict’s resignation (which takes effect Thursday) to begin the conclave.
On O’Brien’s resignation, Phil tells our Newscast desk that the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was the subject of a report in Britain’s Observer. Phil says that “the newspaper alleged he made inappropriate approaches towards three priests and one former priest in the 1980s. Cardinal O’Brien — archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh — strongly denies this. He’s 74, and was due to retire soon.”
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