SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Tuesday 5 March 2013
Colette Douglas Home
SO a veil has been stripped from the life of Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
He stands exposed and humiliated: his work of a lifetime overtaken by scandal. Instead of righteousness, all that is left to see is hypocrisy and, I’m sorry to say, dishonesty.
He is accused of making sexual advances to young priests when he was in a position of power over them. He compounded his actions latterly with his intemperate Old Testament-style attack on gay marriage.
Yet, oddly, I would be more inclined to listen to his opinions now than ever before. If it were possible I might even support his reinstatement. And it’s not because I’m impressed by his apology, which begs more questions than it answers.
In it he admits to times when his sexual behaviour fell below the standards expected of a priest, archbishop and cardinal. Isn’t all sexual behaviour denied to Roman Catholic clergy? Further, why does he include his time as a cardinal when the most recent accusation of which we are aware dates back to 2001? He was an archbishop then. Does the statement hint at the possibility of other revelations to come? It’s a mighty mess.
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