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| Cardinal O'Brien resignation: Murphy-O'Connor 'saddened' | Cardinal O'Brien resignation: Murphy-O'Connor 'saddened' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former archbishop of Westminster says he is "saddened" by the resignation of Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien. | A former archbishop of Westminster says he is "saddened" by the resignation of Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O'Brien. |
| Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said Cardinal O'Brien's decision to step down was "up to his own conscience". | Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said Cardinal O'Brien's decision to step down was "up to his own conscience". |
| Cardinal O'Brien has been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards priests in the 1980s - allegations he contests. | Cardinal O'Brien has been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards priests in the 1980s - allegations he contests. |
| The ex-Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh will no longer take part in the election of the new Pope. | |
| At a news conference on Tuesday, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was asked whether his fellow cardinal had been right to stand down. | At a news conference on Tuesday, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was asked whether his fellow cardinal had been right to stand down. |
| "It was up to his own conscience that he stepped down. He wasn't asked to, he decided to do that," he said. | "It was up to his own conscience that he stepped down. He wasn't asked to, he decided to do that," he said. |
| "I think he thought it would be a distraction for him to be in there (at the election of the new Pope) and I think that is the main reason." | |
| 'Discussing scandals' | |
| Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor described Cardinal O'Brien as a "very honest man" and said the allegations would be investigated. | |
| He added that reform of the Church would be high on the agenda when the cardinals gathered in Rome for the conclave to elect the Pope. | |
| "The cardinals will be discussing not just one particular issue but some of the scandals that have afflicted the church - the gravest one has been child abuse," he said. | |
| "There's no doubt in my mind that there has to be reform, otherwise not just the image of the church but the effectiveness of the church is also affected." | |
| Cardinal O'Brien announced his resignation on Monday, following allegations in the Observer newspaper on Sunday. | |
| It said three priests and one former priest, from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, had complained to the Pope's representative to Britain, nuncio Antonio Mennini, in the week before 11 February. | |
| Cardinal O'Brien's decision to pull out of the conclave means Britain will be unrepresented. | |
| The cardinal had been due to retire when he turned 75 next month. His resignation statement said the Pope would appoint someone to govern the archdiocese in his place, until his successor was appointed. |