Disgraced Cardinal O'Brien to leave Scotland for Penance - Vatican

Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, who resigned as head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland after acknowledging sexual misconduct, will leave Scotland for months of "prayer and penance", the Vatican said on Wednesday.

A statement said O'Brien, who was Britain's most senior Catholic cleric until his resignation in February, would be leaving his country "for the same reasons" that he decided not to participate in the conclave that elected Pope Francis.