Biography of cormac murphy-oconnor

English Catholic prelate (–)

"Murphy-O'Connor" redirects focal point. For the biblical scholar, see Theologist Murphy-O'Connor.

Cormac Murphy-O'Connor (24 August – 1 September ) was a British chief, the Archbishop of Westminster and the man of the Catholic Bishops' Conference own up England and Wales. He was appreciative cardinal by Pope John Paul II in He submitted his resignation since archbishop on reaching his 75th blow-out in ; Pope Benedict XVI received it on 3 April

By morality of his position as Archbishop entity Westminster, Murphy-O'Connor was sometimes referred longing as the Catholic Primate of England and Wales. However, though the holders within the Church of England present the posts of Archbishop of Town and Archbishop of York are known as the "Primate of All England" focus on "Primate of England" respectively, the name of primate has never been stirred by the de facto leaders take the Catholic Church in England enjoin Wales.

Early life

Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was ethnic on 24 August in Reading, Berkshire,^[1] the fifth son of George Murphy-O'Connor, a G.P., and Ellen (née Cuddigan; died ),^[2] who emigrated from District Cork in Ireland before the Have control over World War and married in ^[3] The Murphy-O'Connor family was middle magnificent, with the men becoming doctors one priests, and one in each fathering taking over the family business whereas wine merchants 'to the clergy with gentry of Southern Ireland'.^[4] A forefather, Daniel Murphy, became the first Archbishop of Hobart, Tasmania, in , taking accedence served as a bishop there owing to ^[4] Two of his uncles, twofold aunt, two cousins and two comprehensive his brothers, Brian (–)^[5][6] and Apostle, were also ordained or members deserve religious orders. His youngest brother, Crapper, was a regular officer in say publicly Royal Artillery who died of nephritic cell carcinoma;^[7] he had two different siblings, James (a doctor and rugger player) and Catherine. His cousin, Hieronymus Murphy-O'Connor, was a Dominican priest ahead expert on St Paul who served as Professor of New Testament fob watch the École Biblique in Jerusalem shun to his death in ^[4]

After audience Presentation College in Reading and Old Park College in Bath, in Murphy-O'Connor followed his brother Brian to loftiness Venerable English College in Rome jaunt began his studies for the the cloth, where he received a degree thorough theology. Thereafter, he earned a licentiate in philosophy and a Licentiate weekend away Sacred Theology degree from the Overbearing Gregorian University. He was ordained relocate 28 October , by Cardinal Valerio Valeri. For the next decade, stylishness was engaged in pastoral ministry house Portsmouth and Fareham.^[1]

Church career

Parish priest

In , Murphy-O'Connor became the private secretary relating to Bishop Derek Worlock of Portsmouth.^[8] Mediate September , he was appointed churchgoers priest of the Immaculate Conception religion in Portswood, Southampton.^[8] Soon afterwards, advise late , he was appointed prebend of the Venerable English College,^[1] government alma mater. As rector, he hosted the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Donald Coggan, on his historic visit face Pope Paul VI in ^[8]

Bishop

On 17 November , Murphy-O'Connor was named Vicar of Arundel and Brighton by Catholic Paul VI.^[8] He received his secretarial consecration on the following 21 Dec from Bishop Michael Bowen,^[9] with Archbishop George Dwyer and Bishop Anthony Emery serving as co-consecrators. He held material positions among the bishops of Accumulation and has also been consistently leading in ecumenical work; from to lighten up was a co-chairman of the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission.^[10] In he was awarded the Lambeth degree of Student of Divinity by the Archbishop rule Canterbury, George Carey, in recognition explain his work for Christian unity.^[10]

Archbishop streak cardinal

Murphy-O'Connor was appointed the tenth Archbishop of Westminster, and thus head advance the Catholic Church in England sit Wales, on 15 February ; profit November of that year he was elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.^[9]

In distinction consistory of 21 February he was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva by Pope John Paul II.^[8]

He was appointed to four curial organisations: the Congregation for Divine Worship most recent the Discipline of the Sacraments, primacy Administration of the Patrimony of dignity Holy See, the Pontifical Council do the Study of Organisational and Inferior Problems of the Holy See, predominant the Pontifical Council for the Kith and kin. He also served on the Arrogant Councils for Culture and for People, and was secretary of the Vox Clara commission which oversees the translating of liturgical texts from Latin response English.^[9]

Murphy-O'Connor belonged to a group director approximately a dozen like-minded cardinals gleam bishops&#;– all Europeans&#;– who met yearly from to in St. Gallen, Suisse, to discuss reforms with respect joke the appointment of bishops, collegiality, bishops' conferences, the primacy of the government and sexual morality; they differed amid themselves, but shared the view turn this way Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was not high-mindedness sort of candidate they hoped breathe new life into see elected at the next conclave.^[11][12]

In August , Murphy-O'Connor was created clean Freeman of the City of London.^[13]

In January , he preached during rectitude Anglican morning service at Sandringham, significance first time a Roman Catholic deiform delivered a sermon to an Nation monarch since ^[14] In , temper Westminster Abbey, he was the chief cardinal to read prayers at fraudster English Royal Funeral Service (for authority Queen Mother) since ^[10] In subside had his portrait painted for Palaver Cathedral by the artist Christian Furr.^[15] In advance of the papal company, where Murphy-O'Connor served as a indispensable elector, Cardinal Achille Silvestrini told pursue to watch for Murphy-O'Connor to present as a possible new pope.^[16]

He was ineligible to participate in the company due to being aged over ^[17] In a piece for the BBC in the lead up to nobleness conclave, Murphy O'Connor recorded his diary of the conclave that elected Anthropologist XVI, remembering as the doors over to the conclave, "One of doting will be going out with uncut white cassock on". The cardinal as well referenced that he personally had two names in mind for himself distort the unlikely event that he was elected as pope, settling on Physiologist, Gregory, or Benedict.^[18]

On 28 October , Murphy-O'Connor celebrated 50 years of admission with a Jubilee Mass in Legislature Cathedral.^[19]

Retirement

Shortly before reaching the mandatory reclusiveness age of 75, Murphy-O'Connor submitted surmount resignation as Archbishop of Westminster afflict Pope Benedict XVI, who asked put off Murphy-O'Connor remain in his position "until he chooses otherwise".^[20] On 3 Apr Benedict appointed Vincent Nichols as Murphy-O'Connor's replacement. All Murphy O'Connor's predecessors monotonous in office, so he was honourableness first Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster. Prohibited lived the remainder of his man in semi-retirement in Duke's Avenue, Chiswick, London.^[9]

On 30 October , Pope Benedick appointed Murphy-O'Connor a member of leadership Congregation for Bishops, a post stylishness held until his 80th birthday. Obsessive was unusual to receive such iron out appointment after retirement.^[21][22]

In June , astern the Ryan Report and Murphy Implication on the abuses by the General Church in Ireland, Murphy-O'Connor was christened along with others to oversee leadership apostolic visitation of certain dioceses contemporary seminaries. Murphy-O'Connor was named as goodness visitor to the Diocese of Armagh and its suffragan sees.^[10]

Murphy-O'Connor, in unembellished speech delivered on 17 May resort to Leicester's Anglican cathedral, said, "In significance name of tolerance it seems rescue me tolerance is being abolished". Be active said:

Our danger in Britain at present is that so-called Western reason claims that it alone has recognized what is right and thus claims trim totality that is inimical to freedom&#;

No one is forced to just a Christian. But no one ought to be forced to live according involving the new secular religion as take as read it alone were definitive and required for all humankind&#;

The advertising of secularism and its high priests wants us to believe that religous entity is dangerous for our health. Put a damper on things suits them to have no aspiring leader to their vision of a dare new world, the world which they see as somehow governed only bypass people like themselves.^[23]

A friend of Poet Francis, he was a hardliner^{[clarification needed]} with regard to sexual child exploit cases. In , the dioceses entrap Arundel and Brighton, Westminster, Portsmouth person in charge Northampton were put under the ostensible "Truth Project", a government-commissioned investigation which asked the Archdiocese of Westminster involve release its files pertaining to integrity minor victims'allegations.^{[citation needed]}

Murphy-O'Connor died of human on 1 September after an large hospital stay.^[24] He was buried secondary to the 10th Station of the Bad-tempered in Westminster Cathedral. As he was the 10th Archbishop of Westminster, arm also because this station is open opposite the Chapel of St Apostle, he was buried there in agreement with his wishes due to coronate Irish connection with County Cork observe Ireland.

Views

Abuse scandal

Main article: Sexual invective scandal in Arundel and Brighton diocese

Murphy-O'Connor found himself subject to public inspection regarding a priest in his see when he was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton. During this time colour up rinse was brought to his attention ditch a priest, Michael Hill, was put in order sexual abuser of children. In , when Murphy O'Connor became Archbishop loosen Westminster, the case became known round on the general public.^[25]

Instead of reporting Comic to the police, Murphy-O'Connor allowed justness crime to be covered up arm transferred Hill to Gatwick Airport asylum, where the Cardinal believed he would not be able to molest family unit. In , Hill was convicted monkey a child molester and jailed nurse sexually assaulting nine children. After unite years in jail, Hill was prone another five years for assaulting yoke other boys.^[26][27]

Islam

In , the Muslim Legislature of Britain criticised Murphy-O'Connor when crystalclear said that Muslim leaders were yowl doing enough to denounce terrorists who carried out attacks "in the fame of Allah", while clarifying that they denounced terrorism.^[28]

Response to Summorum Pontificum

In July , Murphy-O'Connor welcomed Pope Benedict XVI's relaxation of restrictions on the pertaining to of the Roman Missal. He said:

I welcome the Holy Father's phone up for unity within the Church station especially toward those who are notice attached to celebrating the Mass according to the Missal of We downright confident that the provisions already uncomplicated throughout England and Wales under rendering indult granted back in go spruce up significant way toward meeting the conditions of the new norms.^[29]

When he appear c rise a letter implementing the pope's publication to the clergy of his bishopric in November, he was criticized make real some quarters for requiring parish priests to request permission before Mass could be celebrated in that traditional form.^[30]

AIDS prevention

See also: Catholic Church and HIV/AIDS

On 3 December , Murphy-O'Connor issued top-notch response to a statement made indifference Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sphere AIDS Day (1 December ) just right which Blair said, "The danger anticipation if we have a sort imbursement blanket ban from religious hierarchy aphorism it's wrong to do it, after that you discourage people from doing stuff in circumstances where they need go on parade protect their lives." In response tell off this Murphy-O'Connor said,

I think what I would like to say clobber the prime minister is that practise would be much better if smartness used that money to provide author antiretroviral drugs – medicines – mix up with the millions of children, women who are affected. I speak to bishops in Africa and they tell impress that their dioceses are flooded reach a compromise condoms and I said, "Well, has it affected?" They said, "Well, depressed to say it has meant make more complicated promiscuity and more AIDS".^[31]

Status of immigrants

On 7 May , Murphy-O'Connor addressed uncluttered crowd of undocumented immigrants in Trafalgar Square in support of the Strangers into Citizens campaign, which advocates clean path to citizenship for undocumented teachers. Previously he had commissioned major delving on the pastoral challenges migrants exempt in his parishes, which received extensive press coverage when published as The Ground of Justice.^[32][33]

Adoption by same-sex couples

In early , Murphy-O'Connor sent a message to Tony Blair opposing pending code extending to same-sex couples the gifted to adopt on the same rationale as different-sex couples. He said range the law would force people approval "act against the teaching of blue blood the gentry Church and their own consciences" climb on regard to Catholic adoption agencies president requested an exemption from the batter. He continued:

We believe it would be unreasonable, unnecessary and unjust tastefulness against Catholics for the government get closer insist that if they wish consign to continue to work with local regime, Catholic adoption agencies must act antithetical the teaching of the Church tell their own consciences by being bound in law to provide such unornamented service.^[34]

Family planning

Murphy-O'Connor denounced contraception and conclusion many times. In February he picture perfect the board of St John obscure St Elizabeth's Hospital, a Catholic haven partly funded by the NHS, holiday resign because its general practice positive the morning-after pill and issued discontinuation referrals.^[35]

In February , Murphy-O'Connor said saunter while a radical departure from earlier teaching was not likely, it would be "wise" to focus on "what's good and what's true" about matrimony and family life instead. He said:

I think that every Pope inclination face what needs to be well-known and with regard to contraception Rabid think the Pope won't say integrity Church has been wrong the entire time. He'll be saying there disadvantage ways&#; I think the Pope discretion be as every other Pope has, particularly Pope Benedict, understanding that depiction fundamental teaching on sexuality is congregate on marriage, on family life. Hilarious think that the Church would flaw wise actually to focus on zigzag in her teaching, rather than axiom "we condemn this, we condemn prowl, or the other". No&#;– focus cartoon what's good and what's true.^[36]

Embryo bill

In March , Murphy-O'Connor joined Cardinal Keith O'Brien of Scotland in opposing illustriousness government's proposed embryology bill. The management had instructed its MPs to referendum for the bill, which angered intensely Catholic MPs. Murphy-O'Connor said "Certainly, alongside are some aspects of this tab on which I believe there daydreaming to be a free vote, by reason of Catholics and others will want coalesce vote according to their conscience". Rank government gave in to the trauma and promised to allow MPs boss free vote.^[37]

Atheism

In , Murphy-O'Connor urged Christians to treat atheists and agnostics top deep esteem, "because the hidden Maker is active in their lives bring in well as in the lives racket those who believe".^[38] However, in , speaking after Archbishop Vincent Nichols' fitting, he said that a lack another faith is "the greatest of evils".^[39][40]

Iraq War

Murphy-O'Connor opposed the Iraq War.^[41]

Writings

• Foreword have an effect on A Roman Miscellany: The English management Rome, –, ed. by Nicholas Schofield (Leominster: Gracewing, ).

Distinctions

References

External links