Vatican orders Cardinal Keith O’Brien to atone for ‘gay’ sins

Joe Morgan | Gay Star News | May 15, 2013

Cardinal Keith O’Brien is being ordered to leave Scotland for several months and atone for his sexual misconduct with his male priests.

The Vatican has confirmed he will be leaving the country for several months ‘for the purpose of spiritual, prayer and penance’.

In a statement from the Catholic Church, senior colleagues at the Vatican will decide his future.

O’Brien, who had previously contested the claims, stepped down from his post as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh after three priests and a former clergyman complained about ‘inappropriate behavior’ going back 30 years.

Since resigning, he had been planning to move to a church house in Dunbar.

Shortly before the allegations against him were made public, the cardinal said it was clear priests struggled to cope with celibacy. He said while gay people should not be able to marry, priests should and also be allowed to have children.

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