Cardinal O'Brien scandal reminds us of corruption before the Protestant Reformation

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
3/4/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Church must heal itself before more harm is done.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien has admitted to engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct while serving as a priest, He has resigned from his post and said he will not continue to serve within the Church. The Vatican is investigating.

Cardinal Kieth O'Brien has resigned after admitting the allegations against him are true.

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LONDON, ENGLAND (Catholic Online) - Britain's top cardinal, Keith O'Brien, 74, has resigned, admitting past inappropriate behavior with men. He has been accused of making homosexual advances towards at least four young men training for the priesthood.

O'Brien made a statement admitting his guilt and resigning from Church duties saying, "there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal. In his statement, O'Brien apologized and asked for forgiveness.

The Vatican will now investigate the claims of wrongdoing and he could be subject to discipline if further evidence of wrongdoing is found.

O'Brien's admission follows the eruption of scandal over the behavior of Los Angeles Cardinal and Archbishop Roger Mahony. Although Mahony has not been accused of sexual immorality, he actively concealed from authorities those who were guilty of harming children. Several pedophile priests were active in his archdiocese and were commonly transferred rather than handed over to the police.

O'Brien's absence means that England will not have a cardinal representing the country in the election of the next pope.

His empty seat will also remind the cardinals that the Church faces an exceptional challenge in dealing with the internal corruption of clergy who engage in acts of sexual immorality. The next pope will have to address this crisis directly and must actively seek out and remove from positions of power and influence, those who refuse to abide by Church instruction on the subject.

Since homosexual activity between consenting adults is lawful in Britain, it is unlikely that O'Brien will face criminal charges.

The admission of guilt on behalf of O'Brien is also more surprising because he has been a vocal opponent of the homosexual equivalency movement in Britain. Homosexual equivalency activists even labeled him "Bigot of the Year." Yet, just before the scandal which ended his career broke, O'Brien also made a public statement in favor of allowing priests to marry.

It was not clear whether he meant after they had been ordained - which will never be considered since the celibate priest is in a vowed life - or reconsidering consideration of married candidates for the priesthood in the Latin Rite. Eastern Catholic practice already allows married men to be considered for ordination to both the diaconate and the priesthood. The decision for state in life is made prior to the ordination to the diaconate. Married deacons and priests pledge to remain celibate should they lose their wives by death.

The Catholic Church, since the earliest days, has prohibited the marriage of ordained celibate priests. Consecrated Celibacy is a revered practice and recognized as being itself a vocational calling. For a Celibate priest, it means he is first devoted to Christ and the Church.

Despite the understandable reaction which accompanied news of Cardinal O'Brien's scandal, sexual immorality within the Church is as ancient as sin itself. Just before the Protestant Reformation, Pope Alexander VI was publicly alleged to have had mistresses and at least four children who he publicly acknowledged. His example was cited by some of the Protestant reformers as adding to their decision to enter into schism and break away from the Church.

This sad reality of sexual immorality among some of the clergy is one of the matters which makes the work of the next pope so important. If the Church cannot deal with the need to purify itself of the influence of those who behave with immorality, then it will suffer increased persecution and derision just as the unethical behavior of the clergy in earlier times invited the same.

However, we should still acknowledge O'Brien's honesty and be grateful that he had the courage to accept responsibility and resign. Unfortunately it seemed to require the courageous whistle blowing of some of those whom he approached as long as 30 years ago.

It is expected he will cooperate with any Vatican investigation.

� 2013, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, Keith O'Brien, scandal, pope, resignation, reformation

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1 - 10 of 13 Comments

John Ashworth
2 months ago
Your statement that "O'Brien's absence means that England will not have a cardinal representing the country in the election of the next pope" demonstrates a lack of understanding of the geography of the United Kingdom. ENGLAND (and Wales) will not have a cardinal representing them at the conclave because the cardinal of the English and Welsh Church is over 80 years old. SCOTLAND is not part of England and has its own cardinal, O'Brien, who will not be at the conclave because he has resigned. Scotland is part of Great Britain (which consists of the three countries of England, Scotland and Wales) and part of the United Kingdom (which adds Northern Ireland), but it is NOT part of England. So what you should actually say is that Britain will not have a cardinal representing it in the election of the next pope.
Dr Steve H Hakes
2 months ago
O'Brien will, I hope, be debriefed (no pun intended) over the sexual pressures & temptations he has faced in his ecclesiastic role. These can, of course, occur even within marriage - the word 'adultery' comes to mind. But Paul, perhaps in response to some who argued for celibacy for all believers, noted that such policy would cause wildfire (1 Cor.7:2). I suspect that some church-priests (with Hans Küng, all believers are priests), turn to sexual sin simply to turn to sex. Had such pressures led to his rethink of the celibacy-for-life vow? Catchment areas (eg childrens' homes) will differ, and will not necessarily show one's penchant. C S Lewis noted that in his school years, many Bloods did homosexualism simply because of being in same sex boarding schools. O'Brien might have fitted this paradigm, and his testimony should be heeded. As a penitent he should be heeded the more, not the less.
john
2 months ago
Its a rather underhanded smear that the author links the "married priest" question to the butt end of a story on the discredited Bishop O'Brien. Really, just because he endorsed the idea recently, that is a reason to be against it? Can't the issue be argued on it's merits rather that shot down because it was endorsed by a disreputable source? Adolph Hitler liked dogs and Children. Does that mean that dogs and children are bad because "you know who" approved of them?

And this business of saying the tradition of celibate priests existed from the church's earliest days when we know otherwise from reading the New Testament is yet another misrepresentation. It wasn't settled law in the time of Timothy, and arguably maybe it shouldn't be now. They church has been turned into a sweaty gym at the Y long enough.
abey
2 months ago
Beware of the Machiavellian tactics employed by the enemies of the Church, a product of the "Iniquity" that has been at work, exhibited through the "Political Babylon"
Vin
2 months ago
I just want to add my prayers for the church and it's faithful to be strong and persevere in the escalating secularism of the world. Much of the damage to the church was done by those "covering" up the actions of wayward clergy in the name of hope, trusting that the prevailing information at the time regarding rehabilitation of them was positive. Hindsight shows that was and is not so. But there is no question that the vast majority of clergy are good and faithful persons, caught up in a web of deceit and horror. May God give strength to those who are, or would become, priests, nuns, deacons and laity so necessary to do the work of spreading His Word
Celia
2 months ago
I believe there was a reason for celibacy & a man who wants to be a priest is well aware of it that goes for the brothers & nuns as well. They make a vow to be married to Christ & his church. Is marriage the answer to the question of dwindling nos in the religious orders? I sincerely doubt it. One makes a decision & lives with it like ordinary lay people do when they decide to get married for life.
All these scandals what pains me the most are the poor decisions made by the bishops. Instead of just shifting these sick priests to another parish where they continue to do harm,
these sick priests should have been sent to a cloistered Monastery where they spend the rest of their life in prayer & penance & away from the young ones & get some phychiatric help as well. People are mad because no action was taken even if they weren't reported to the police there were other ways of going round it Not shuffling them around & sweeping these atrocities under the carpet.
Elayne Cipolla
2 months ago
There is corruption in every large organization. Popes, cardinals, bishops, monsignors, priests, deacons are all people...imperfect, subject to temptation like everyone else in this world. It is my personal belief that the blame for a great deal of this lies at the feet of the laity who have become lazy in their devotion to God and in their faithfulness to the Church. Through this spiritual slothfulness, the devil has found his way into the highest levels of the Church. How many people go to confession every week? How many stop and spend a half-hour in prayerful adoration before the Monstrance during 40 hours' devotions? How many continue to attend Mass weekly after their children receive their Sacraments of Initiation? How many denigrate the religious life in front of their children? How many people pray for our religious and ask God to give them the grace to overcome temptation in our daily prayers? How many say the Rosary on a regular basis anymore? How many people know their saints and name their children after them for inspiration and guidance? Misinterpretation of Vatican II had much to do with it...I know, I lived through the "transition". Allowing priests to marry or ordaining women will not solve what is wrong. Married people, men and women, the world over sexually abuse children. The Church IS the Body of Christ and His bride. She will stand and survive all assaults. But those who make up this Body must hold themselves accountable for the situation as it now stands. Priests, deacons, bishops and popes come from the laity...mothers and fathers raising their children to know, love and serve God. Holiness must start in every manger (bassinet) and crib and be modeled by holy families in every parish in the world. God's grace in abundance is available to every parent who is open to His love and guidance.
robertburford
2 months ago
Do not put your faith in earthly princes. It should not be a surprise to any of us including the Pope whoever the one may be that we are sinners. Scandal make all priests look bad and of course they are not all bad. All of us sin. The bad example given by this priest is intolerable. It is not a sin to be a homosexual but it is a sin to practice homosexuality .We have so many good men who serve us as priests and our Church has always been a standard by which Christianity is judged. The Catholic Church really have kept the faith and does not waiver when it comes to God's commandments. Please anyone who is repulsed by this article, do not judge all priest by this mans actions. God is still in charge and will continue to call young men and women to the religious life.We need to support and pray for vocations and the young men and women who serving as religious
James
2 months ago
Catholics, wake up. You are the target of a constant negative PR campaign by powerful leftist groups who are using smear tactics to intimidate the Church into changing her teaching. The nonstop reporting on "scandal" is media-made and media-driven and for a purpose: to bully Christianity into changing its stance on gay marriage, on female priests, on abortion, and on sexual ethics. The Catholic Church and her teaching are enemy No.1 to the Marxists, and the sooner you realize you are being unfairly targeted and smeared the sooner you can fight back and refuse to accept their premises and demands. Ever notice that *all* these "scandal" reports talk about the "need" for the Church to change its teachings? It's all about the TEACHINGS and about the influence the Church has in spreading traditional morality. The modernists and progressives *hate* traditional morality and they understand that the Catholic Church is the number one institution on the planet that transmits and preserves traditional Judeo-Christian ethics and values.
eithena
2 months ago
I.m so so sorry to know this ; BUT HE WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE; We all have something in life we are ashamed off his has been medified for news the other thing is when .you have a deep sore it has to be cleaned out and that means pain +loss but we all carry this we should have been prayin for our priests and a lot of us havent THEY ARE AT WAR FOR US WE NEED TO GIVE THEM GROUND COVER WITH ARE PRAYERS SO PRAY +PRAY+PRAY WITHOUT THEM WE HAVE NO JESUS KEEP THE FAITH

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