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Monsignor Leo Cushley installed as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh | Monsignor Leo Cushley installed as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The new Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh has been consecrated at a ceremony in Edinburgh. | The new Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh has been consecrated at a ceremony in Edinburgh. |
Leo Cushley replaces Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who stood down in February after admitting sexual misconduct. | |
A Mass of Episcopal Ordination/ Consecration was held at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh. | A Mass of Episcopal Ordination/ Consecration was held at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh. |
He is the eighth archbishop of the diocese since the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in 1878. | |
First Minister Alex Salmond and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Lorna Hood, were among those who attended the ceremony. | |
Holy Father | |
Archbishop Cushley told the clergy during the special service: "As you may know, a couple of weeks ago the Holy Father called me in to see him. | |
"He wanted to know about all of you and to hear what I could tell him about my plans and priorities, and he listened and commented at length, with the sympathy and understanding of a man who had been an archbishop in a big capital city for many years - Buenos Aires. | |
"One of the things he communicated then and in the coming days was the idea that I should be merciful in my ministry here." | |
He continued: "But he explained that being merciful doesn't mean being soft. | |
"It means being gentle but also firm at the same time. This is what the Pope asked me to be for all of you. | |
"It is also Pope Francis' proposal for the way we priests ought to be with each other: firmly resolved to be merciful, to forgive, to be humble, to rebuild, to dialogue." | |
Archbishop Cushley was consecrated by Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia, administrator of the St Andrews and Edinburgh archdiocese, and Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Pope's representative in the UK. | |
The homily was delivered by Cardinal James Harvey, from Wisconsin in the US, who was Archbishop Cushley's first superior in the Holy See's Secretariat of State, and is a long-time colleague in the diplomatic service. | |
Cardinal O'Brien stood down as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh following allegations by three priests and a former priest of improper sexual contact in the 1980s. | Cardinal O'Brien stood down as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh following allegations by three priests and a former priest of improper sexual contact in the 1980s. |
'Important issues' | 'Important issues' |
He later admitted his sexual conduct had "fallen beneath the standards" expected of him. | He later admitted his sexual conduct had "fallen beneath the standards" expected of him. |
The Vatican announced in May that, with the Pope's approval, Cardinal O'Brien - Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric - would leave Scotland "for the purpose of spiritual renewal, prayer and penance". His current location is not known. | The Vatican announced in May that, with the Pope's approval, Cardinal O'Brien - Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric - would leave Scotland "for the purpose of spiritual renewal, prayer and penance". His current location is not known. |
Speaking to the BBC last week, Archbishop Cushley said he did not believe the cardinal would or should return to Scotland. | |
But he denied that the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was in crisis in the wake of the scandal. | But he denied that the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland was in crisis in the wake of the scandal. |
He added: "I think the fundamentals are very solid, very sound, but I can't deny there are important issues that I'm going to have to deal with." | He added: "I think the fundamentals are very solid, very sound, but I can't deny there are important issues that I'm going to have to deal with." |
His appointment marks a return to Scotland for the 52-year-old who was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, and ordained a priest in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire. | |
He was until recently head of the English language section of the Vatican's secretariat of state and accompanied the Pope on visits to English-speaking countries. | |
Archbishop Cushley, who speaks Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese, has been a close collaborator of both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, and has been regularly involved in the visits of heads of state and other important guests to the Holy See. |