Britain’s top Catholic cleric resigns after accusations of inappropriate behavior

Pope Benedict XVI on Monday accepted the immediate resignation of Britain’s highest-ranking Roman Catholic cleric, effectively forcing Cardinal Keith O’Brien to step down two days after allegations surfaced publicly that he had engaged in inappropriate behavior with priests. The latest scandal to engulf the church involves one of its most strident conservatives and influential clerics, and comes just weeks before the conclave to select a successor to Benedict, who unexpectedly announced his retirement on Feb. 11.