Oops! Pope forces out Cardinal Keith O'Brien

[malaise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/25/pope-forces-out-keith-obrien
<snip>
The pope has forced the abrupt resignation of Britain's most senior Roman Catholic as the church made a frantic attempt to minimise the impact of allegations of "inappropriate acts" committed by Cardinal Keith O'Brien against fellow priests.

He issued a statement in which he ambiguously apologised for "any failures" and to those he had "offended", and announced that he would no longer travel to the Vatican to help select a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who retires at 8pm on Thursday. O'Brien had been due to be the only British cardinal with a vote.

The cardinal revealed in his statement that he had been asked by the outgoing pope to stand down immediately. Already due to retire next month, the cardinal stated: "The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today."

Senior Catholics said his resignation was intended to stop the allegations turning into a crisis. The church is already under pressure over unrelated abuse and corruption scandals in other dioceses.
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This is one huge cesspool

[lindysalsagal]

1. If they threw out all those who had covered up abuse, how many would be left?

I'm guessing, maybe half????

[idwiyo]

4. None. Nada. Zero.

[malaise]

7. From the article

But the move led critics to demand that other cardinals at the centre of scandals over failures to report sex abuse by priests – including Roger Mahony, emeritus archbishop of Los Angeles, and Seán Brady, the primate of all Ireland – "recuse" themselves from the papal conclave, citing O'Brien's decision as a precedent.

Insiders said O'Brien's abrupt departure had left the Scottish Catholic church, which he had led for 10 years, disoriented and shocked. One source said it meant that only three out of eight Scottish dioceses now have full-time, permanent bishops in charge.

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They are imploding as a result of their own arrogance and hubris. They are worse than all the politicians on the planet.

[pampango]

2. And he's the cardinal that spoke publicly in favor of married priests a few days ago. Weird. n/t

[LiberalAndProud]

6. I'm sure that's not related to his immediate departure.

(Actually, I'm not sure at all.)

[Taverner]

3. Wow - this shit is straight out of the Medecis or Borgias!

[malaise]

8. For real

Except that given technology and social media today, they can run but they cannot hide this time around. The shit has finally hit the fan.

[DollarBillHines]

9. House of cards.

Like melting ice - it's ice until it's not.

[snagglepuss]

5. Given the Vatican is denying the gay story that broke a few days ago, the last thing

the pope or the vatican want is having another gay scandal.

[dembotoz]

10. good thing that pope guy never makes a mistake

happy i am a prot

[malaise]

11. Well anyone who bought the all knowing BS after the flat earth flop

centuries ago pretty much deserves what they get.
I'm glad I hate all religion