PHOENIX -- The Vatican has accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien of Phoenix.
According to the New York Times, the bishop has been at the center of two scandals involving the cover-up of sexual misconduct by priests and, on June 14, a fatal hit-and-run accident.
The Vatican did not cite a specific reason for its decision, though it said the pope had accepted O'Brien's resignation as the spiritual leader of Arizona's 430,000 Catholics under a clause of Church law allowing a cleric to resign because of illness or for "some other grave reason" that makes him "unsuited for the fulfillment of his office."
Maricopa County attorney Richard M. Romley is investigating the bishop's actions in the hours leading up to the accident to determine whether alcohol or drugs were involved. Jim Reed, a 43-year-old carpenter, was killed in the collision while crossing the street to catch a bus. Reports based on eyewitness accounts say Reed was jaywalking.
Witnesses also gave police a description of a vehicle and license plate that matched O'Brien's. He was arrested on June 16 and charged with leaving the scene of the accident. Romley said the bishop could be charged with negligent homicide or manslaughter if found guilty of driving while impaired the night of the accident.
According to the report, the bishop was released on $45,000 bond and is sequestered at his residence.
On June 2, O'Brien avoided possible criminal charges arising from his supervision of priests implicated in the sexual abuse of minors. He signed an agreement with Romley, who also is prosecuting that case, in which he admitted knowing of sexual misconduct by a number of priests, yet transferred them without informing their new superiors or parishioners. Under the agreement, O'Brien escaped possible obstruction of justice charges by acknowledging that he had put children in harm's way by quietly transferring abusive priests.
"He has obviously lost his moral authority to lead," Sandy Simonson, Phoenix region coordinator for Voice of the Faithful, told the Times. "Truthfully, I don't think he can recover."
