Cathal BarryPope Francis exhibits forgiveness in a very profound way, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor tells Cathal Barry
In the opening lines of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor’s memoirs, the former Archbishop of Westminster recalls a stone he came across on a small island in the Outer Hebrides.
On it was inscribed “Pilgrim Cormac”, and, below, were the words; “He went beyond what was deemed possible.”
The cardinal wrote that he had mentioned this to “ripples of amusement” at his installation as archbishop.
“As I reminded them, before my appointment the bookmakers had me listed as a 25-to-1 outsider,” he said.
Another ‘outsider’ the cardinal knows “quite well” is Pope Francis, who surprised the world when he unexpectedly emerged from the conclave in 2013 as Pontiff.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who is reported to have been runner-up in the 2005 conclave that elected Benedict XVI, had been overlooked by many Vatican watchers for the papacy in 2013 on account of his age.
However, as Cardinal Murphy O’Connor pointed out, the “bravery” of Pope Benedict in resigning made age irrelevant.
Younger man
Admitting the cardinals gathered in Rome ahead of the conclave which would eventually elect Bergoglio had initially a younger man in mind, the former Archbishop of Westminster said they soon realised age “didn’t matter”.
“If we have the right man with the right qualities he can always resign if his health gets bad. It gave the cardinals greater freedom,” he told The Irish Catholic.
Bergoglio himself was no stranger to Cardinal Murphy O’Connor, who was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001 on the same day as the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and sat beside him at a number of subsequent meetings in Rome.
Since becoming Pontiff, Francis, according to the cardinal has been a “breath of fresh air” for the Church.
Cardinal Murphy O’Connor is also clearly impressed with the Pope’s drive for decentralisation and the development of a more collegial Church.
“The Second Vatican Council indicated in different ways that the Church should be more collegial, in other words the Pope working with the bishops, that the Synod of Bishops should have more effect and that there should also be greater subsidiarity, which means more should be left to the local Church,” Cardinal Murphy O’Connor said.
“I think over the years since the council there has been a gradual development of that but I think Pope Francis has brought it to a greater level and I think that’s good,” he added.
Noting that the Pope’s particular style is one of “simplicity”, Cardinal Murphy O’Connor warned against being fooled by the Pontiff whom he insists is “very intelligent”.
Offering some insight into Pope Francis’ style, the cardinal suggested that a key trait of Pope Francis is that he “takes people where they are”.
“He may be talking to a Muslim, a non-believer or a Catholic, it doesn’t matter. He takes you where you are and brings you on a step,” he said, adding that the Pope “is able to do that very personally”.
“He gives himself an opportunity to do that and I think that’s very important for the Church.”
It’s this that the cardinal believes has “endeared” the Pope to “so many people outside the Catholic Church too”.
“I think they like his style of mercy. He pushes the mercy button very strongly.
“In today’s world, people look for meaning and hope in their lives and for us the meaning of life is to be accepted by God, to be loved by God and to be forgiven by God and I think Pope Francis exhibits that in a very profound way,” he said, adding that his “difficult” experience as a Jesuit Provincial during a “turbulent time” in the history of Argentina has made for a “unique experience” before coming to the papacy.
The cardinal pointed to the Pontiff’s key programmatic document, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel).
“When you get Catholics who are alive with the spirit of the Gospel then things happen. He brings that,” the cardinal said of Pope Francis, adding that he also cares about the “welfare of the world” pointing to his recent encyclical Laudato Si’ (Praise be to You).
Cardinal Murphy O’Connor himself is now six years retired and living near a church in Chiswick on the outskirts of London where he regularly celebrates Mass. “I rather enjoy being a curate again,” the cardinal quipped.
He looks back on his time as a pastor both with pride and some regrets.
Among the highlights for the cardinal was being present at a conclave, recalling the “big privilege of marching into the Sistine Chapel and looking around at the other cardinals knowing one of us is going to come out in a different coloured cassock”. “That was a highlight,” he said.
Searching deeper, however, the cardinal admitted one of the things he regretted most about his time as the leader of the Church in England and Wales was “not being braver and being more outspoken… on things in the moral sphere”.
And so, the cardinal has penned his memoirs, An English Spring, with some highlights and regrets in mind.
One of the things the cardinal acknowledges early on in the book was the “great blessing of being brought up in a secure and loving family”.
It is no surprise then that the cardinal maintains Christmas as “a joy”.
“Christmas is a lovely occasion especially for families,” he said, adding that it is also an opportunity for people, who don’t regularly attend Mass to “put God into their lives”.
Cardinal Murphy O’Connor looks forward in particular each year to spending time around the festive period with his late brother Jim’s large family.
Jim, who died in 2014, was a celebrated Irish rugby player. Rugby, however, wasn’t going to be a talking point of this particular interview. At the time of writing both England (the cardinal’s team) and Ireland (this reporter’s team) had dramatically crashed out of the Rugby World Cup.
“We won’t talk about rugby, it’s too sad a story,” the cardinal said with a sigh.
So, instead, we turn to the future.
“I’m 83. I live each day as it comes,” the cardinal said.