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| Vatican appoints replacement for disgraced Cardinal Keith O'Brien | Vatican appoints replacement for disgraced Cardinal Keith O'Brien |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A senior Vatican official has been appointed to replace the disgraced Scottish cardinal Keith O'Brien as archbishop of Edinburgh and St Andrews. | A senior Vatican official has been appointed to replace the disgraced Scottish cardinal Keith O'Brien as archbishop of Edinburgh and St Andrews. |
| Monsignor Leo Cushley, 52, a close and influential adviser to Pope Benedict and his successor Pope Francis, is based in Rome as head of the English-language section of the Vatican's civil service, functioning as a senior career diplomat for the Holy See. | |
| The appointment to succeed O'Brien, five months after he resigned in disgrace after the Observer revealed allegations of sexual impropriety, has come sooner than commentators had expected, suggesting the Vatican is keen to draw a line under the affair. | The appointment to succeed O'Brien, five months after he resigned in disgrace after the Observer revealed allegations of sexual impropriety, has come sooner than commentators had expected, suggesting the Vatican is keen to draw a line under the affair. |
| In a statement to mark his appointment, Cushley alluded to the O'Brien crisis by acknowledging it was a "delicate" time for the Scottish church, and warned he would need months to get to grips with his new post and the damage caused by the scandal. | In a statement to mark his appointment, Cushley alluded to the O'Brien crisis by acknowledging it was a "delicate" time for the Scottish church, and warned he would need months to get to grips with his new post and the damage caused by the scandal. |
| "I know it's a delicate moment and that there is a lot to be done, but with God's grace and the kind support of the clergy and people of Edinburgh, I will work cheerfully and willingly with all the energy I can muster," he said. | "I know it's a delicate moment and that there is a lot to be done, but with God's grace and the kind support of the clergy and people of Edinburgh, I will work cheerfully and willingly with all the energy I can muster," he said. |
| "There are certain important questions that I will also have to familiarise myself with. I have no jurisdiction in the diocese until after I have been ordained in late September. Only then will I be able to take stock of what has happened and see what can be done. | "There are certain important questions that I will also have to familiarise myself with. I have no jurisdiction in the diocese until after I have been ordained in late September. Only then will I be able to take stock of what has happened and see what can be done. |
| "It is my sincere hope to do this always in truth and in charity, with a view to reconciliation and healing among the Catholics of Edinburgh. My first task is to preach the good news, Christ crucified and risen from the dead, to confirm my brother priests in their Catholic faith and ministry and to be a loving, simple, wise shepherd to the flock that has been entrusted to me." | "It is my sincere hope to do this always in truth and in charity, with a view to reconciliation and healing among the Catholics of Edinburgh. My first task is to preach the good news, Christ crucified and risen from the dead, to confirm my brother priests in their Catholic faith and ministry and to be a loving, simple, wise shepherd to the flock that has been entrusted to me." |
| O'Brien's enforced resignation and retirement was a catastrophic event for the Scottish Roman Catholic church; he had been a vigorous critic of gay marriage and gay adoption legislation but admitted to having had homosexual relationships with other priests. | O'Brien's enforced resignation and retirement was a catastrophic event for the Scottish Roman Catholic church; he had been a vigorous critic of gay marriage and gay adoption legislation but admitted to having had homosexual relationships with other priests. |
| After leaving Scotland several months ago, the cardinal is thought to be staying in an enclosed abbey in the Midlands. | After leaving Scotland several months ago, the cardinal is thought to be staying in an enclosed abbey in the Midlands. |
| His departure also left the Scottish church with only three full-time bishops for its eight dioceses, creating a significant power vacuum and leadership crisis. Unusually, Cushley has never been a bishop and has not served in any Scottish diocese for more than 20 years. | His departure also left the Scottish church with only three full-time bishops for its eight dioceses, creating a significant power vacuum and leadership crisis. Unusually, Cushley has never been a bishop and has not served in any Scottish diocese for more than 20 years. |
| The Vatican said that Cushley, a Scot who had previously served as assistant priest and a school chaplain in Motherwell and Wishaw, has been a "close collaborator" with both the current and previous pope. | The Vatican said that Cushley, a Scot who had previously served as assistant priest and a school chaplain in Motherwell and Wishaw, has been a "close collaborator" with both the current and previous pope. |
| Acting as an interpreter for the pope when needed (Cushley speaks Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese) he had been heavily involved in overseeing visits by heads of state to the Vatican including the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the archbishop of Canterbury. | Acting as an interpreter for the pope when needed (Cushley speaks Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese) he had been heavily involved in overseeing visits by heads of state to the Vatican including the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the archbishop of Canterbury. |
| Cushley also accompanied each pope on official visits to English-speaking countries, including Pope Benedict's tour of the UK in September 2010; on that visit O'Brien officially welcomed the pontiff when he touched down in Britain at Edinburgh airport. | Cushley also accompanied each pope on official visits to English-speaking countries, including Pope Benedict's tour of the UK in September 2010; on that visit O'Brien officially welcomed the pontiff when he touched down in Britain at Edinburgh airport. |
| During Pope Benedict's open-air mass at Bellahouston park in south Glasgow, Cushley introduced his family to the pope. | During Pope Benedict's open-air mass at Bellahouston park in south Glasgow, Cushley introduced his family to the pope. |
| The Edinburgh diocese has been under temporary management by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow. | The Edinburgh diocese has been under temporary management by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow. |
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