SCOTLAND
RTE News

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the disgraced Irishman who resigned two years ago as Archbishop of Edinburgh after admitting to sexual misconduct.

Scotland’s Catholic bishops have welcomed the unprecedented decision.

Cardinal O’Brien resigned as Archbishop two years ago following allegations by three priests and a former priest that he had behaved inappropriately towards them.

He admitted his sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of him.

In a statement today, he repeated his profound apology of two years ago and thanked the pope for “his fatherly care” of him and of those he has offended in any way.

Following the allegations, the Cardinal had failed to travel to Rome for the election of a successor to Pope Benedict the Sixteenth.