BY Ian Dunn | May 15 | 
4 COMMENTS 
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Vatican statement says Cardinal O’Brien is to leave Scotland
The statement says the cardinal is to leave the country for a period of 'spiritual renewal, prayer, and penance.'
Several months after Cardinal Keith O’Brien resigned as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh after admitting to engaging in inappropriate behaviour, the Vatican’s first public statement on the matter has said he will now leave Scotland ‘for several months.’
The statement said the cardinal will now leave the country ‘for the same reasons he decided not to participate in the last Conclave’ and that this decision was made ‘in agreement with the Holy Father.’
It goes onto say that he will now spend several months engaged in ‘spiritual renewal, prayer, and penance’ and ‘any decision regarding future arrangements for His Eminence shall be agreed with the Holy See.’
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A step in the right direction: Cardinal O’Brien must serve penance and acknowledge the gravity of his sins, hypocrisy, abuse of power, dishonesty, and sevaral alleged assaults of a sexual nature whilst in a position of power and under a vow of celibacy.
I wholly support Pope Francis on this matter.
Oh well, we’re not known as the religion of mercy and forgiveness for nothing then.
As someone once said “It’s a funny old world”.
Sins can always be forgiven but need to be properly acknowledged by the sinner – preferably at the time of the sin and not years later when found out – then repented and repetition of the same sin avoided.
A Cardinal is not your wee man on the street. He has taken a vow of celibacy and should be a role model for others to follow. He is the highest ranking Roman Catholic in Britain. He has admitted to offending whilst a Priest, a Bishop, and in his role as Cardinal. He should not have been taking the host unless he had been to confession and confessed with sincerity. Others are disallowed from taking the host for less serious matters.
I am a teacher in a secondary school and would be sacked and struck off the register if I went about groping people.
I have no personal grudge against the Cardinal and wish him no harm. He will be forgiven if he truly repents but he needs to now stick to his vow of celibacy and make amends for the damage he has done.
Let him without sin cast the first stone! I feel sad about a man who has failed after a lifetime of service to the church and I would not want to condemn him in any way God is bigger than it all I hope he will find peace and contentment and forgoveness from those he may have wronged.