Monday, February 25, 2013

UK's Top Card. Resigns, Won't Vote for New Pope; Asserts "I Apologize to All Whom I Have Offended"

Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric -- who declared last week that the new pope should allow Catholic priests to be married -- resigned today (February 25, 2013), following allegations he behaved in an inappropriate way with priests. He said he would not take part in the election of Pope Benedict's replacement, according to the Reuters website.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien said he tendered his resignation some months ago, ahead of his 75th birthday in March because he was suffering from "indifferent health."

The Vatican said that Pope Benedict -- who steps down as pope on February 28 -- had accepted O'Brien's resignation as Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh.

"Looking back over my years of ministry: For any good I have been able to do, I thank God. For any failures, I apologize to all whom I have offended," O'Brien said in a statement, which made no reference to the recent allegations against him.

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