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Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien, accused of sexual misconduct, who will lose the "rights and privileges" of his clerical office but be allowed to retain his title.


O'Brien, 77, resigned as Archbishop of St. Andrews in 2013 in the wake of allegations that he had made sexual advances on a number of priests. Francis subsequently 

asked O'Brien to undertake "a period of prayer"

 but also launched an investigation into the charges.


On Friday, the Vatican announced that "The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of the rights and privileges of a cardinal ... presented by his eminence Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O'Brien, archbishop emeritus of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, after a long period of prayer."

Speaking to journalists, Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said the resignation was "not a punishment resulting from a process" but came from O'Brien himself.


While O'Brien "will no longer be invited to attend consistories and other gatherings of cardinals, including an eventual conclave for the election of a new pope, Benedettini said, he retains his faculties as a priest and retired bishop," according to 

Religion and Faith

Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien will lose the "rights and privileges" of his clerical office but be allowed to retain his title.

Pope accepts resignation of cardinal accused of sexual misconduct

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