British cardinal apologises over sexual conduct - statement
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LONDON (REUTERS) - A Roman Catholic cardinal who resigned as head of the church in Scotland apologised on Sunday for sexual conduct which he said had "fallen below the standards expected of me".
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who was Britain's most senior Catholic cleric, resigned on Feb. 25 as archbishop and said he would not take part in the conclave to elect a new pope after newspaper allegations of inappropriate behaviour with priests.
"I wish to take this opportunity to admit that there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal," he said in a statement posted on the Scottish Catholic media office website on Sunday.
"To those I have offended, I apologise and ask forgiveness. To the Catholic Church and people of Scotland, I also apologise.
