UNITED STATES
WBIR
Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who stepped down as archbishop last week amid accusations of sexual impropriety, on Sunday apologized for past sexual conduct.
O’Brien issued a statement Sunday saying he had contested early allegations made against him because of their “anonymous and non-specific nature.” He offered no specifics Sunday, but did apologize for his behaviour. …
Terence McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org, lauded O’Brien’s recusal as an important precedent for a church where priests have been disciplined for abuse but church leaders who failed to halt the abuse have been largely unscathed.
“Cardinals who are tainted by the crisis cannot choose the person who will solve it,,” .McKiernan said in a statement. “…If they are involved in the deliberations and the votes, they will taint the outcome, damaging the legitimacy of whoever is ultimately chosen.”
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