Resignation of Cardinal shocked Britain's Catholics and will set off tremors around the world

His resignation, following allegations the Cardinal made advances to young priests, couldn’t be more shocking for Britain’s four million Catholics

Allegations: Cardinal Keith O'Brien denies claims of "inappropriate acts"

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Cardinal Keith O’Brien was, until yesterday, the most senior Catholic cleric in Britain.
He was also one of the most outspoken critics of a homosexual lifestyle, who rejected the notion of gay priests being ordained.
The Cardinal’s resignation, following allegations that he made advances to young priests, couldn’t be more shocking for Britain’s four million Catholics.
Its timing – next month the world’s cardinals will meet in conclave to elect the next pope – means his fall will set off tremors around the globe.
The Cardinal of Glasgow and Edinburgh continues to plead his innocence.
He must forgive those of us inside the Church – as well as those outside it – for feeling wary, if not downright sceptical, because his resignation comes in the wake of a succession of scandals that haveundermined our support of the institution.
We Catholics are taught from the outset to forgive human frailty. God makes us all in his image and therefore everyone, no matter how flawed, deserves love.
Our clergy has sorely tested this creed for years. Witness upon witness has told of abuse by priests, bishops, now a cardinal. Ours is a universal Church, and the abuse has been universal too – in America, Ireland, Britain; in orphanages, schools, even sacristies. Catholics have been humiliated to learn that the priests they had trusted had betrayed them in this horrific way while the Church they had championed turned a blind eye. Some Vatican watchers think that Pope Benedict XVI has taken the almost unprecedented step of resigning from the papacy because he can no longer bear tackling the sexual excesses of his clergy. It’s a shame, because Benedict XVI has shown mettle in ridding the Church of its worst elements. The outgoing Pope has kicked out paedophile priests who previously were simply moved on by their seniors, from the parish where they’d been found out to a new one, full of unsuspecting victims. He has set up monitoring groups to watch out for abuse. He has sought, in person, forgiveness from the priests’ victims. The new zero tolerance of abuse came too late, and could only do so much. Yet Cardinal O’Brien’s fate gives me hope, because within 24 hours of the allegations coming to light, he was forced to resign – by the Pope. Could it be that after years of shame and hurt, my Church will purge itself of bad priests?