Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O’Brien , Archbishop Emeritus of Edinburgh and Saint Andrews, Scotland, died on March 19, 2018 at 80.
Indicted for “inappropriate sexual behavior with seminarians in the 80s, he renounced “the rights and prerogatives of the cardinalship” in 2015.
Keith Michael Patrick O’Brien was born on March 17, 1938 in Northern Ireland. He was ordained priest on April 3, 1965. During his pastoral life, he was Spiritual Director at St. Andrew’s College of Drygrange and Rector of St. Mary’s College of Blairs from, 1978 to 1985.
He was appointed Archbishop of Edinburgh and Saint Andrews on May 30, 1985 and consecrated Bishop on August 5. John Paul II created him Cardinal in the Consistory of October 21, 2003. From 2002 to 2012 he was President of the Episcopal Conference of Scotland.
Benedict XVI accepted the early resignation of Cardinal O’Brien, relieved of his pastoral responsibilities on February 25, 2013. He did not take part in the Conclave that elected Pope Francis in March 2013, and left Scotland for a time “of spiritual renewal, prayer and penance,” in May 2013.
