Pope Issues Decree on Early Conclave

Pope Benedict XVI

British Cardinal quits after claims of sexual advances

Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree Monday allowing cardinals to bring forward a conclave to elect his successor, as the resignation of a top cardinal and deepening intrigue in the Vatican overshadowed the run-up to the vote.

This came as British most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, resigned with immediate effect in the wake of allegations of inappropriate behaviour, he said in a statement Monday.

But the Pope, who is stepping down on Thursday, said: “I leave the College of Cardinals the possibility to bring forward the start of the conclave once all cardinals are present.” 

The conclave is traditionally held between 15 and 20 days after the papal seat becomes vacant although that period normally includes nine days of mourning for a deceased pope.

Swirling intrigue has overshadowed the run-up to the conclave and campaigners are calling for cardinals implicated in cover-ups of child sex abuse scandals to be barred from voting.

Equally, O’Brien said he would not take part in the conclave.

Vatican spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said the cardinals, who will begin a series of meetings to discuss the upcoming conclave on Friday, could settle on a date “in the very first days of March”.
The Vatican revealed meanwhile that a report into a series of damaging leaks of confidential papal papers last year had revealed “imperfections” in the Catholic hierarchy.

The report “made it possible to detect, given the limitations and imperfections of the human factor of every institution, the generosity and dedication of those who work with uprightness and generosity in the Holy See,” a Vatican statement said.

“The Holy Father has decided that the documents, which only he has seen, will be exclusively available to his successor,” Lombardi told a press conference.

Italian media reports had suggested that cardinals set to elect a new pope would be given access to the December report.

Benedict met with the report’s authors — Julian Herranz of Spain, Slovakian Jozef Tomko and Italian Salvatore De Giorgi — Monday Lombardi said. The three cardinals — all over 80 and thus not entitled to vote in the conclave — questioned dozens of Vatican officials, both laypeople and clergy, in parallel with a police probe.

The Vatican hinted the cardinals could discuss their findings with other cardinals, although the report itself would remain secret.

The meeting came just three days before Benedict steps down following his shock resignation announcement on February 11.

The 85-year-old German pope cited his age as the main factor in his nearly unprecedented decision, but observers said Vatileaks may have been the last straw in a scandal-ridden papacy.

Already four other members of the conclave, now to number 115, are associated with the paedophile priest scandals that have dominated Benedict’s eight years on the papal throne.

The Vatican’s Secretariat of State-the government of the Catholic Church-took the unusual step on Saturday by issuing a statement slamming “completely false news stories” as an attempt to influence the secret conclave.

Italy’s Panorama News Weekly and the Republica Daily had said on Thursday that the cardinals’ report to the pope contained allegations of corruption and of blackmail attempts against gay Vatican clergy, as well as favouritism based on gay relationships.

In a statement on Vatican Radio’s website, Lombardi said: “There are people who are trying to take advantage of this moment of surprise and disorientation of weak souls to sow confusion and discredit the Church and its government.”

The investigating cardinals presented the pope with their final report in December, just before Benedict pardoned his former butler Paolo Gabriele, who had been jailed for leaking the papal memos, while banishing him from the Vatican.

Suspicions linger that more people were involved.
The pope is due to hold his final public farewell in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday and will step down on Thursday as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

Meanwhile, O’Brien, who as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh was leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, denies allegations that he made sexual advances towards priests in the 1980s.

He had been due to be the only cardinal from Britain to vote on a replacement for Pope Benedict XVI.

But O’Brien confirmed that he would not now take part in next month’s conclave.
“I will not join them for this conclave in person,” he said. “I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me — but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor.”

In his resignation statement, O’Brien said: “Looking back over my years of ministry: for any good I have been able to do, I thank God.”

“For any failures, I apologise to all whom I have offended.”
O’Brien had been due to resign on his 75th birthday next month, but he said: “The Holy Father has now decided that my resignation will take effect today, 25 February 2013.”

The allegations include claims that one priest received unwanted attention from O’Brien after a late-night drinking session, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported.

Another priest reportedly claimed that O’Brien used night prayers as cover for inappropriate contact.

O’Brien has previously angered the gay community with his hardline public stance on homosexuality. He was named “bigot of the year” last year by the gay rights charity Stonewall.

He recently said same-sex marriages would be “harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of those involved” and has long voiced opposition to gay adoption.

But in comments this week he also called for the Catholic Church to end its celibacy rule for the priesthood.

A string of new scandals and allegations have emerged since Benedict became only the second pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history to step down of his own free will.

Four members of the conclave are associated with the paedophile priest scandals that have dominated the German pope’s eight-year rule.

Thousands of American Catholics have signed a petition calling for US cardinal Roger Mahony, accused of covering up for paedophile priests in Los Angeles for years, to give up his vote in the conclave.

And while 85-year-old Benedict cited his age as the main factor in his resignation, media have speculated that an explosive report into last year’s “Vatileaks” scandal may have played a role.

The scandal saw Benedict’s butler arrested, convicted and later pardoned for leaking confidential papers to the press.

The Vatican said yesterday that the report on the scandal, which exposed intrigue and corruption in the Church, would be shown exclusively to the future Pope.