London: Cardinal Keith O`Brien, the most senior Catholic clergyman in Britain to the Vatican has been reportedly involved in inappropriate behaviour stretching back 30 years, three priests and a former priest in Scotland have reported.
The four, from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, have complained to nuncio Antonio Mennini, the Vatican`s ambassador to Britain, and demanded O`Brien`s immediate resignation.
A spokesman for the cardinal said that the claims were contested.
According to the Guardian, O`Brien, who is due to retire next month, has been an outspoken opponent of gay rights, condemning homosexuality as immoral, opposing gay adoption.
He has most recently argued that same-sex marriages would be `harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of those involved`, the report said.
Last year he was named `bigot of the year` by the gay rights charity Stonewall.
One of the complainants alleged that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him, resulting in a need for long-term psychological counseling.
According to the report, the four submitted statements containing their claims to the nuncio`s office the week before Pope Benedict`s resignation on 11 February.
They fear that, if O`Brien travels to the forthcoming papal conclave to elect a new pope, the church will not fully address their complaints, it added.
(ANI)
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.