Catholic World News News Feature
Scotland's Cardinal O'Brien says he is "completely orthodox" October 22, 2003
Scotland's newly-created cardinal continued to court controversy on the day he received the red hat from Pope John Paul II.
Cardinal Keith O'Brien BBC Radio 4's Today program: "I have always been utterly and completely orthodox and consequently it is a little bit hurtful when one is labeled as being the way-out guy among 31 cardinals."
He continued, "I am sure I was chosen by the Pope and his advisers because I am an orthodox teacher of the Catholic faith. If I hadn't been I don't think I would have been chosen as a cardinal. In recent years, certainly since the Second Vatican Council, matters have been put up for discussion by the Church."
However, answering accusations that he was not in agreement with traditional Church teaching, particularly on the ordination of women, Cardinal O'Brien added: "What I was trying to say was that when matters are up for discussion I would be only too happy to discuss them and ultimately accept what the decision of our supreme pastor says."
