After stepping down as Britain's most senior Catholic cleric and giving up his post as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh just last week, Cardinal Keith O'Brien has admitted to allegations from three priests and a former priest of "inappropriate sexual conduct". As reported by Reuters on Sunday, the cardinal admitted that his sexual activity fell "below the standards" expected of him as a priest, archbishop and cardinal.
Cardinal O'Brien states that he will spend the rest of his life in retirement and will prohibit himself from playing any role in the public life of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Through a statement issued by the Catholic Church in Scotland, he offered an apology and expressed his disappointment in himself and for letting down the church.
"I wish to take this opportunity to admit that there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal."
O'Brien, who has been a strong opponent of legalizing same-sex marriage and recently advocated priest marrying, was seen as a bigot through t he eyes of gay rights groups. He recently had his resignation accepted by the pope on February 18. At that time he was planning on fighting the allegations he has now admitted to.
Cardinal O'Brien asked for forgiveness in his statement from everyone who he has offended, mainly to the Catholic Church and people of Scotland.
As far as his strong stance against gay marriage and views on LGBT equality, the validity of these allegations has added much hypocrisy to everything he stood behind and stood for.
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