NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > Entertainment blogs > Manhattan Diary > Vatican invited Cardinal Keith O’Brien to conclave despite knowledge of sexual allegations by Catholic priests

Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Vatican invited Cardinal Keith O’Brien to conclave despite knowledge of sexual allegations by Catholic priests

Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 at 07:59 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

22 Comments

See more: Vatican

RSS

Archives

Cardinal Keith O'Brien

When news broke this week that Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland, had been accused by four priests of sexual exploitation both his critics and supporters were instantly suspicious of the timing.

Why now, they asked? Pope Benedict's dramatic resignation was barely a week old and the papal conclave was already looming. How could accusations this damning have come to light just at this moment (especially considering O'Brien had Britain's only vote for Pope)? It was an a reasonable question.

The answer, which came yesterday, probably isn't going to satisfy the conspiracy theorists, but it's a fairly convincing one. In a desperate attempt to minimize the impact, the pope moved quickly to stem the crisis before it could snowball.

That led to O'Brien standing down as archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh the day after the Observer newspaper published accusations about his conduct during the 1980's.

O'Brien's departure was shocking but it was also inevitable, given the widespread media interest and the Pope's growing determination to protect the Church from the seemingly endless parade of scandals that have engulfed it for two decades.

But yesterday the Scotsman newspaper reported that in fact the Vatican knew of the allegations against O'Brien at least five months ago. The newspaper claimed a priest lodged a serious complaint in October 2012 about 'inappropriate behavior' by the former Archbishop in 2001.

The Vatican reportedly took the allegations seriously and quietly contacted Cardinal O’Brien. It's understood a 'deal' was in the process of being negotiated by Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Montreal for O'Brien's departure as leader of Scotland’s Catholics.

News that the complaint was being addressed finally prompted three other to come forward with their own stories. 'It gave them the confidence that they would be heard,' a source told the Scotsman. 'It started people talking and it gave them the confidence. It took someone to put his head above the parapet.'

Meanwhile, in news that has further angered his critics, it has emerged that the Vatican's invitation to O'Brien to attend the papal conclave to choose Benedict's successor still stands, but he has declined himself because he says: 'I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me.'

It is not yet clear if he has resigned from the College of Cardinals; no Cardinal has since 1927.

O'Brien's decision to not to participate stands in sharp contrast to Cardinal Roger Mahony, the retired Archbishop of Los Angeles, who reportedly intends to participate in the conclave even after more than 30,000 pages of personnel records released last month revealed that for years he had been directly involved in covering up for priests who were known to have abused children and teenagers.

O’Brien, a staunch critic of homosexuality, called same-sex marriage 'a grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right.' He even argued that argued that 'same-sex relations are demonstrably harmful to the medical, emotional and spiritual well-being of those involved.'

But perhaps now, near the end, he'll finally come to learn after 75 years that it's actually a life hidden deep in the closet that thwarts the emotional and spiritual well-being of those who spent their conflicted adult lives trapped within it.

See more: Vatican , Irish Catholic Church , Irish Catholic Priest

E-mail

22 Comments

See all comments

eiriamach | Mar 04, 2013, 09:34 AM EST

There's no need to feel sorry for him. One of his accusers feels "compassion for O'Brien." And according to the NY Times report, the former seminarian said, "I’d never wanted to ‘out’ Keith just for being gay.... But [finding out that O'Brien had sexually harassed others] was confirming that his behavior toward me was part of his modus operandi. He has hurt others, probably worse than he affected me. And that only became clear a few weeks ago.” It was clear when the Vatican originally told the four men that O'Brien would attend the conclave despite their allegations. Feel compassion for those men and for 750,000 Scottish Catholics who woke up today, read the news, and surely realized that they shouldn't be supporting their Church. It seems the Vatican overlooked O'Brien's transgressions and protected his position as long as he was doing the will of the Curia by publicly condemning homosexual unions. O'Brien extorted sex from the men, and the Vatican used his misdeeds to extort hypocrisy from O'Brien.

Report abuse

Kenglish | Mar 04, 2013, 08:49 AM EST

TheVatican never pushed O'Brien's resignation until he said the Church should reconsider celibacy. He knew of what he spoke! If he hadn' been such a hypcrite about homosexuality, I'd feelsorry for him.

Report abuse

eiriamach | Mar 04, 2013, 07:35 AM EST

As I read O'Brien's confession of guilt, it seems that he does not realize he has broken any law. He expects a comfortable retirement! He thinks it's all about his private soul and the suffering he has caused a few other individuals. But he has contributed to the oppression of LGBTs everywhere, helped bring down an institution of more than a billion people, and spread a church-sponsored culture of sexual exploitation, coercion, and hypocrisy in "public life." No little private peccadillo!

Report abuse

pilib04 | Mar 03, 2013, 07:13 PM EST

Statement by O'Brien: "In recent days certain allegations which have been made against me have become public. Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them. However, 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. To those I have offended, I apologise and ask forgiveness. To the Catholic Church and people of Scotland, I also apologise. I will now spend the rest of my life in retirement. I will play no further part in the public life of the Catholic Church in Scotland." No apology however, for his self hating campaign.

Report abuse

olovely | Mar 03, 2013, 05:08 PM EST

I had no doubt the accusations were true and now here is O'Brien's admission of the fact. He spent his public carrer vilifying gay people whilst privately attempting to coerce his underlings into having gay sex. He's an example of the damage the church's hypocrisy is doing.

Report abuse

barneyjo | Mar 03, 2013, 02:19 PM EST

"NEWSFLASH FROM EUROPE" At 17:00hrs GMT Sunday, Cardinal O'Brien released a statememt in which he admitted that the charges of sexual misconduct laid against him were and are effectively true. This can only mean that one of his accusers has been brave enough to go public and is likely to have his/her say in the coming week!!

Report abuse

STEVENSTAR | Mar 03, 2013, 01:00 PM EST

LETS NOT FORGET THAT ITS NOT ONLY PRIESTS WHO ARE ABUSING CHILDREN THIS IS A UNVERSAL PROBLEM.. THERE ARE MARRIED MEN OUT THERE ABUSING CHILDREN BOTH LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS ALSO AND THERE ARE ALSO SINGLE MEN WHO ABUSE KIDS..THESE PEOPLE ARE FAMILY MEMBERS RELATIVES, NEIGHBORS AND NOT JUST PRIESTS.. THERE IS AN EVIL IN THE WORLD WHICH MAKES THESE SICK EVIL PEOPLE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE DO THESE EVIL SICK THINGS TO CHILDREN.. THERE IS EVIL RIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD BE THEY WOMEN, MEN, GAY STRAIGHT MARRIED OR SINGLE.... SO KEEP THAT IN MIND BEFORE YOU GO AND TRY AND POINT THE FINGER AT ANY ONE SECTION OF SOCIETY THAT YOU MAY NOT PERSONALLY LIKE.. AS ITS THE CHILDREN IS WHAT REALLY MATTER AND NOT YOUR OWN PERSONAL VIEWS...ALL PEDOPHILES ARE SICK EVIL PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE ROOTED OUT OF ALL SECTIONS OF OUR SOCIETY... AND IF ITS HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH ITS ALL AROUND US.THAT IS WHY I KEEP A VERY OPEN MIND .

Report abuse

pilib04 | Mar 03, 2013, 11:04 AM EST

Ephraim, try to be patient. The hierarchy has no conceptual understanding of the term sexual harassment.

Report abuse

STEVENSTAR | Mar 02, 2013, 10:06 PM EST

TobyMaguire | Mar 02, 2013, 08:22 PM EST >>>> I THINK YOUR COMMENT IS A VERY SINISTER AND SICK DEVIOUS LITTLE COMMENT.. YOUR INSINUATING GAY PEOPLE ABUSE CHILDREN...I DONT KNOW WHAT ISSUES YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR OWN LIFE BUT I SUGGEST U EDUCATE YOURSELF TO THE FACT THAT PRIESTS ABUSE CHILDREN THAT ARE BOTH MAKE AND FEAMLE.. AND WHO EVER THEY HAVE ABUSED THESE PRIESTS ARE VERY SICK PEOPLE... THESE SICK AND EVIL PRIESTS BE THEY GAY OR STRAIGHT NEED TO BE ROOTED OUT OF THE CHURCH AND LOCKED UP... AND I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR NASTY ATTITUDE TOWARDS GAY PEOPLE BACK HOME AND SPREAD YOUR LITTLE NASTY COMMENTS ELSE WHERE..BECUASE I DO NOT TRUST PEOPLE WHO MAKE SINISTER COMMENTS LIKE THE ONES YOU DO !!

Report abuse

EphraimKibbey | Mar 02, 2013, 06:27 PM EST

Hasn't O'Brien had since the first complaints in the '80s to defend his actions? What defence would you accept for using his position to rape his subordinants?

Report abuse

eiriamach | Mar 02, 2013, 04:13 PM EST

O'Doherty's point is insightful: the cardinal SHOULD now realize that "it's actually a life hidden deep in the closet that thwarts the emotional and spiritual well-being of those who spent their conflicted adult lives trapped within it." Preventing such damage to the human personality (and encouraging relationships of mutual growth and caring) is the moral basis for same-sex marriage as a human right. (The political basis is equal treatment under the law.) Will O'Brien ever share this insight? I betcha not. Like many churchmen, he's too in love with the power and perquisites of hierarchical position and having others subordinated to him. Sexual predation is about power--not love, not personal attraction, not even sex, just the feeling of power over others.

Report abuse

eiriamach | Mar 02, 2013, 03:51 PM EST

PhlakiePhan thinks that O'Brien's sexual exploits were with "consenting adults"! Seminarians and entry-level priests whose careers are controlled by their superiors are not in a position to withhold "consent" from superiors without leaving the priesthood. That manipulation is sexual harassment. It's extortion of sexual favors and of silence about the extortion. Not only is it immoral, but it's also a violation of law in most places, and loathed by homosexuals and heterosexuals alike. The conspiracy of silence that allows predators to coerce sex from youth or adults is about to topple the Roman Church unless the members of the conclave take action. As Hans Kung writes in "A Vatican Spring?" (NY Times), "If the next conclave were to elect a pope who goes down the same old road, the church will never experience a new spring, but fall into a new ice age and run the danger of shrinking into an increasingly irrelevant sect."

Report abuse

The Commentator | Mar 02, 2013, 01:50 PM EST

I think the church should release to the press all the records including names of the pedophile priests, their protectors, the criminals in the Vatican Bank etc. If that was done, there would be many less secrets to keep and parishioners would feel real progress was being made.

Report abuse

pilib04 | Mar 02, 2013, 01:27 PM EST

Phlutie, your logic is somewhat un-jesuitical. I'm surprised at you. O'Brien got in trouble because he became too publicly attached to an Anti-Gay marriage campaign and then was outed for his homosexual exploits with Priests. My guess, is, Conservative PM David Cameron, told the Vatican to call off their dog. As you probably are aware, Cameron is supporting the Gay marriage bill. Oh, and by the way, Congrats for winning the week 8 pool.

Report abuse

pilib04 | Mar 02, 2013, 01:19 PM EST

Let's try to understand the Vatican's historic position. To be sure, the Vatican has turned the other way whenever priests are involved in the rape of young children. Until recently the Priests were protected by a wall of silence. Some will argue the wall still exists. That explains why Mahoney is free to go to the Conclave. However, the Vatican draws the line at Cardinals having homosexual relations with priests even if it was in the past. Once this became public, the Vatican had no choice but to make it clear that O'Brien was persona non grata. Particularly with the carefully choreographed departure of the Pope Emeritus. I am truly surprised that anyone sees a contradiction. The Vatican is keeping with its age old traditions. If they barred Mahony, they would have to bar most of the American and European Cardinals. Hiding priestly pedophiles has been a tradition in the Church. Don't expect that to end overnight. Of course, NYC Cardinal Dolan has taken it to a whole new level by paying €15,000 to Pedophile Priests to quietly slip away.

Report abuse