SCOTLAND
Scotsman
By NATALIE WALKER
Published on Sunday 3 March 2013
MOST of the seats at the 7:30pm Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh last night – the first after Cardinal O’Brien’s shock confession was announced – were empty.
The service began with a reading of the cardinal’s statement. It was evident that some of the congregation had heard the news and shuffled nervously and uneasily in their seats.
Those who had clearly not heard what had happened could be seen turning to friends in shocked disbelief. Some of them looked utterly stunned. One woman sat open-mouthed with tears in her eyes as news of the former archbishop of the diocese was revealed.
It was a very different feeling from the Mass just seven days ago when the allegations first came to light. Unlike last Sunday, the media were told they were not welcome – with members of the press asked by a number of people to leave the neo-Gothic cathedral.
Seven days ago most people were standing by the cardinal, believing the allegations to be untrue. Most went out of their way to speak to the press, calling the claims “lies” and “rubbish”. But that loyalty had been replaced with anger – much of it aimed at the media.
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