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Cardinal Keith O'Brien investigated for ‘groping’ priest on the day he was ordained

Complaint eventually led to the cleric's downfall

IRISHCENTRAL STAFF WRITERS,

Published Sunday, March 17, 2013, 8:29 AM

Updated Sunday, March 17, 2013, 8:29 AM

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Cardinal Keith O'Brien is being investigated for 'groping' a Scottish priest only hours after he was ordained a cardinal in October 2003.

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Cardinal Keith O'Brien is being investigated for sexually assaulting a priest only hours after he was ordained a cardinal.

According to HeraldScotland.com, O'Brien allegedly made an attempt to grope a Scottish priest at the Scots College in Rome in October 2003. The priest, who is now based in London, made a formal complaint to the the Vatican's Congregation of Bishops last September, after which the newly-appointed cardinal was summoned immediately to Rome.

The complaint was the first which eventually led to the cleric's downfall. The priest, who was known to Cardinal O'Brien, is not one of the four complainers whose allegations went public last month.

Allegations of sexual misconduct within the Vatican could be more detrimental to the former Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh that any other claims he is facing, according to senior sources within the Catholic Church. O'Brien, who becamea cardinal on October 21, 2003, under Pope John Paul II, could become only the fourth cardinal in 200 years to be stripped of his position.

"If Pope Francis wasn't familiar with the problems faced by the Church in Scotland, he certainly is now," said one source.

O'Brien has retreated into privacy following revelations that he "behaved inappropriately" towards three priests and a now former priest, who alleged he was abused by the CArdinal while at a seminary as a teenager in the 1980s.

Following these claims, the cardinal has been relieved of his post as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and subsequently admitted his sexual conduct had "fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal."

Said a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland: "A number of complaints have been passed directly to the Vatican.

"The detail and nature of them is not known to the Bishops' Conference of Scotland."

See more: Irish Catholic Priest , Sexual Abuse in Ireland

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seanomelb | Mar 18, 2013, 11:49 PM EDT

Sean O'Brady represented the brits at the conclave because you brits had nobody but a discredited Scottish Cardinal.

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glounlathan | Mar 18, 2013, 06:22 PM EDT

Cardinal O'Brien should not have done it, but I wonder if the priest were ever in a rugby scrum. Maybe it was not what he thought it was, Was it really only a bit of boisterous behavour? But people in the Cardinal's position need to more careful but his critics should bear that they may be destroying someone because they have never been on the rugby team.

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helmet365 | Mar 18, 2013, 04:27 AM EDT

The general reaction to his behavior is a bit overdone.I would say he picked the wrong priest, most would not take it too serious. Hetro footballers and other sports people do it on occasions and laugh,its a man thing. Keith O'Brien should apoligise in these cases if he offended and continue his good work. There is no such thing as sin,we are just flawed and incomplete.

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falconflash | Mar 18, 2013, 01:25 AM EDT

When you see stories like this, it makes you want to ban gays from the military too.

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PhlutiePhan | Mar 17, 2013, 08:30 PM EDT

As a conservative Catholic Navy vet, I can tell you that OB is not the only one. The new pope needs to tell the American Church to "go and clean up their rooms".

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glounlathan | Mar 17, 2013, 07:40 PM EDT

Grow up! If O'Brien were a golfer or an olympic athlete both British and Irish would claim him. Give up the pettiness, and move on. There were terrific Englishmen and Irishmen. Wilberforce and Daniel O'Connell are but two who come to mind, and of course we must not forget the great women like Florence Nightengale and Mother Jones.

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anglo-norman | Mar 17, 2013, 07:16 PM EDT

seanomelb-So O'Brien is british cos he comes from Antrim?

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seanomelb | Mar 17, 2013, 06:18 PM EDT

Cardinal Sean O"Brady represented Britain in the conclave that elected the new pope Francis. O"brien withdrew from the voting procedures and poor old England does not have a cardinal

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seanomelb | Mar 17, 2013, 06:12 PM EDT

What is wrong with that groping british Cardinal

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glounlathan | Mar 17, 2013, 02:00 PM EDT

Correction to last post. 'There are alot more good dedicated people around than there are .

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glounlathan | Mar 17, 2013, 01:49 PM EDT

Sin is everywhere and not only in the Catholic Church. An old poet made a reference once stating that the foundation of the Church of England was the lust of Henry the Eight (I dare not print the actual quote here). Equally Louis XIV of France was as catholic as a Cardinal in a Whore house. So let's get the politics and bigotry out of all of this and give more accomodation to decency in our arguements. Many bullies in many churches have denied good men and women their place, and I agree that the garden should be weeded for there are alot more good dediciated people around than there not are abusers.

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pilib04 | Mar 17, 2013, 12:57 PM EDT

How shocking. Of course there is no truth to this. LOL.

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SingleDonald | Mar 17, 2013, 11:36 AM EDT

I too would have been outraged, after being groped by Cardinal O'Brien, or any other man. Yet, I don't see CharlieM's connection. J. Edgar Hoover MAY have been gay, but there is no evidence that he ever abused anybody, adults or kids. Ed Koch was likely a closet homosexual, yet he was never accused of abusive conduct. As far as Congesss is concerned, members have had all sorts of scandals, both Congressmen & Senators. The "closet cases" may apply to denying one's alternate lifestyle. They, however, do not apply to secretive abuse.

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mamaginnty | Mar 17, 2013, 11:01 AM EDT

All I can say is if he dared to do it to grown men, and not that long ago, he has done more to children over the decades. Join the dole lines Mr O'Brien.

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starwatts | Mar 17, 2013, 09:45 AM EDT

I wish the Church would do a better job or a job at all about vetting the leaders in the church. There are plenty of good priests out there that could be promoted through the ranks and not bring scandal to the church. The rest should be gone. Maybe the next generation of priests will do a better job.

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