Sexually abusive cardinal blocked child abuse investigation

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By Rory MacKinnon in Britain:

Disgraced O’Brien blocked child abuse probe

Friday 23 August 2013

Scotland’s Catholic church abandoned its investigation into child sex abuse on the sole objection of disgraced Cardinal Keith O’Brien, officials said today.

A church spokesman confirmed allegations by retired archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti, who said the country’s eight bishops had met in 2011 to plan an independent audit of child abuse cases from each of their dioceses since 1952.

Mr Conti said “all but one member” had approved the project – including publication of its results – “but this was delayed by the objection of the then-president of the conference.

“Without full participation of all the dioceses the exercise would have been faulty.”

Cardinal O’Brien quit as archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in February after four men accused him of coercing them into sexual relationships while serving as priests under him.

Cardinal O’Brien, who has since sought “spiritual renewal and reflection,” could not be reached for comment.

Defending the decision to scrap the investigation, a church spokesman said: “Without the participation of all the dioceses a national audit was not possible so the analysis was stopped,” he said.

The bishops had since agreed to publish audits of cases since 2006, detailing “any complaints made about clergy, church workers, volunteers or anyone else and how these complaints were dealt with.”

“The church remains willing to engage in any process which allows lessons to be learned and survivors to be supported,” he said.

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