What happened?
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the former Archbishop of Westminster, died on September 1 at the age of 85, after being admitted to hospital a fortnight before.
In a message transmitted via his successor Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor had said: “At this time, the words I pray every night are never far from my thoughts: ‘Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.’ ” He said he had had “many blessings in my life, especially from my family and friends”, and asked for their prayers.
Murphy-O’Connor was born in 1932 in Reading to Irish parents. He was ordained in 1956 and 10 years later became private secretary to Bishop Derek Worlock. He served as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, and was heavily involved in ecumenical work; it was a personal setback when the Church of England introduced women priests. Shortly after becoming Archbishop of Westminster in 2000, he was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
What the secular media said
Obituaries focused particularly on two things: the controversy over a sexual abuse case, and his friendship with the then Cardinal Bergoglio. As the BBC obituary said, the cardinal’s “greatest public challenge” was over a priest of his Arundel and Brighton diocese, Michael Hill, who was accused of child sexual abuse. “Murphy-O’Connor sought advice from a psychotherapist and a counsellor who suggested that Hill should be given a job that did not involve children. The bishop agreed and Hill was made a chaplain at Gatwick Airport. He went on to abuse more children and was subsequently jailed in 1997.” Murphy-O’Connor did not resign but, as Archbishop of Westminster, led reforms to safeguarding.
The Telegraph reported that, according to a new book by Catherine Pepinster, Murphy-O’Connor played a major part in the 2013 conclave, in which – since he was over 80 – he was ineligible to vote. Murphy-O’Connor hosted a meeting to raise support for Cardinal Bergoglio, Pepinster said: he “invited cardinals from the Commonwealth but deliberately left off the invitation list two powerful but conservative clerics – Cardinal Ouellet from Canada, who had been a frontrunner, and Cardinal Pell from Australia. The plan, which succeeded, was to persuade the cardinals of the need for a liberal pope without interference from the senior conservatives.”
The Times noted that Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor “disliked elitism”: he “insisted that his staff call him ‘Father’ rather than ‘Your Eminence’, and retained the air of a friendly parish priest”.
What Catholics said
Pope Francis led the tributes, saying he was “deeply saddened”. In a message to Westminster archdiocese, he said: “Recalling with immense gratitude the late cardinal’s distinguished service to the Church in England and Wales, his unwavering devotion to the preaching of the Gospel and the care of the poor, and his far-sighted commitment to the advancement of ecumenical and inter-religious understanding, I willingly join you in commending his noble soul to the infinite mercies of God our heavenly Father.”
Francis Campbell, the vice-chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and a former British ambassador to the Holy See, told the Guardian that Murphy-O’Connor was a “wonderful ambassador for faith and Christianity”. Campbell said the cardinal “was great fun, very supportive, very encouraging and down to earth. He never took himself too seriously.”
Chris Bain of Cafod also remembered the cardinal’s warmth, saying: “The cardinal was someone who really looked at you and engaged with you when he was talking to you. I saw that myself when we were in Sri Lanka meeting people who’d lost everything in the tsunami. He was very moved by what he saw, and by people’s resilience, and he had an enormous capacity to communicate with people, and genuinely wanted to listen and hear people’s stories.”
The US Catholic News Service called him “a leader in ecumenical relations”. It described his interests as “music and sports, especially rugby and golf. He occasionally performed on the piano at charity events and celebrations.”
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor’s funeral will take place next Wednesday at Westminster Cathedral. The cardinal’s body will be received into the cathedral at 10am on Tuesday with a short service before lying in state throughout the day. At 5pm, Cardinal Vincent Nichols will celebrate Vespers, at which Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham will preach.
At noon the following day, Cardinal Nichols will celebrate the Requiem Mass, at a ticket-only event. On Wednesday October 4, a memorial Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral, which all will be welcome to attend.
Pope Francis was due to arrive in Colombia on Wednesday, hoping to encourage the peace process between the government and rebels. Among the events is a prayer meeting for national reconciliation “He had wanted to go for a long time,” Vatican spokesman Greg Burke told Reuters.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.