Catholic Church

I don't understand why gay people are religious at all - because so much of organised religion seems seems to take pleasure in condemning the gay community with senior church figures denouncing a gay lifestyle as a sin against God.

Take the recent scandal involving Cardinal Keith O'Brien - Scotland's leading Catholic until he was forced to resign in disgrace last year over claims about 'improper sexual conduct' which were made by three priests and a former priest.   

For his sins Cardinal O'Brien was sent into exile for the purpose of 'spiritual renewal, prayer and penitence' and the poor man is now living in a monastery in England - according to press reports. 

Originally, the Cardinal was to be banished for six months, but the Church has released a statement to say that Keith O'Brien will face no further disciplinary action from the Vatican. 

Now I can understand that decision, I have to say, because what is to be gained from meting out further punishment to a man who has fallen so far.

But I do think that the Catholic Church owes the Scottish people a proper explanation instead of just trying to sweep the whole affair under the carpet.

Last weekend the new Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley, is reported as saying that the Vatican had finished with the matter:

"They will monitor the situation. They will look into it again after a certain period to see that things are going in the way they ought to be going. They may consider other evidence if it comes to light, but it would be up to them as to what they should do."

"He will not return to Scotland. Nothing is a lifetime sentence, but it is a reasonable assumption that he will not be coming back in the near future."

How's that for arrogance and contempt - but it's in keeping with the way the Catholic Church has been dealing with difficult issues for years.