The Vatican will not take any further action against Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who has admitted to ‘sexual misconduct’ with four priests.

After the former Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh stepped down in February, there is no active investigation by the Catholic Church.

Senior figures in the Vatican do not believe a formal investigation is warranted as O’Brien has already admitted and apologized for his behavior, according to the Scotland on Sunday.

Last March, O’Brien admitted the claims and apologized.

He said: ‘To those I have offended, I apologize and seek forgiveness. To the Catholic Church and people of Scotland, I also apologize.

‘I will now spend the rest of my life in retirement. I will play no further part in the public life of the Catholic Church in Scotland.’

A source close to the Vatican’s civil service, the Roman Curia, said: ‘When an investigation takes place people expect some kind of public result of the investigation, but there is just no way there is going to be some kind of public examination and a published report on this matter.

‘The Church doesn’t work that way.’

Two of the priests who claim they were abused by O’Brien say they were exasperated by the Cardinal’s double standards when it came to gay rights and marriage equality.

Declaring ‘war’ on plans for same-sex marriage in the country, and likening it to slavery and child abuse, were some of his many comments.

It is thought his statements, such as describing homosexuality as a ‘moral degradation’, were a ‘tipping point’ for those close to him.

On the day O’Brien became a ‘prince of the Church’, he allegedly attempted to grope a priest at a drunken party in Rome.

This complaint, made in September 2012, led to the four others lodging their own complaints with the Vatican.

When Gay Star News attempted to speak to the Vatican, they declined to comment.