UNITED KINGDOM
Telegraph
By Patrick Sawer 27 Sep 2014
A leading Catholic Bishop announced his resignation on Saturday after confessing to being “unfaithful” to his vows, leading to speculation he has had a sexual affair.
The Rt Rev Kieran Conry, the bishop of Arundel and Brighton and chairman of the Church’s evangelisation committee in England and Wales, was to make the shock announcement in a letter read to congregations across the diocese at services over the weekend.
It immediately led to speculation that Bishop Conry had broken his vow of celibacy, central to the Catholic priesthood.
In the statement, being read to congregations on Saturday evening and Sunday morning the Bishop apologised for being “unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest”.
He explained his actions were not illegal and did not involve minors, but apologised to “all to the individuals hurt by my actions” and “all of those inside and outside the diocese who will be shocked, hurt and saddened to hear this”.
Bishop Conry is known as a leading liberal and moderniser in the church. Earlier this month he said that priests should put up with noisy children to encourage more families to attend regular services.
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