Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
Cardinal Cormac Murphy - O'Connor ( born August 24, 1932 in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom) is Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster and former Roman Catholic Primate of England and Wales.
Life
Murphy O'Connor was born in Reading, England as one of five children. Two of his brothers were also priests. He was educated at Prior Park College in Bath and prepared in 1950 at the Venerable English College in Rome for the priesthood before. There he received a degree in philosophy and Catholic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. On October 28, 1956, he received in Rome by Cardinal Valerio Valeri, the sacrament of Holy Orders. Initially, he worked in communities in Portsmouth and Fareham.
1966 Murphy O'Connor secretary and chaplain to the Bishop of Portsmouth, Derek Worlock, later Archbishop of Liverpool. In September 1970 he was appointed parish priest in Portswood ( Southampton ). Shortly after, the end of 1971 he was appointed Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome, responsible for the training of candidates for the priesthood.
On December 21, 1977 Murphy - O'Connor was consecrated by the Archbishop of Southwark, Michael George Bowen, Bishop of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. He has held important positions in the network of European bishops and influenced the ecumenical movement. From 1982 to 2000 he was Co - Chairman of the International Anglican- Catholic Commission ( ARCIC ). In 2000 he was awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Leonard Carey, with an honorary doctorate of theology, in recognition of his work for the unity of Christians.
Murphy O'Connor was elected Archbishop of Westminster 2000 and in November 2000 he was elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales on 22 March. Pope John Paul II took him in February 2001 as a cardinal priest with the titular church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in the College of Cardinals to.
In August 2001, the Cardinal honorary citizen of the city of London was. In 2002, he was the first member of the Roman Catholic Church since 1680, was allowed to preach before the Queen or the King of England.
Murphy O'Connor lamented the decline of piety such as fasting, abstinence, Stations of the Cross, Rosary and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament because they are good means to deepen faith. Even the sacrament of confession will hardly used. O'Connor encouraged the faithful to use all the means that are rooted in the Catholic tradition. They are food for the faith, and he wants to encourage.
According to press reports, the Cardinal should be imposed after his retirement from the office of the Archbishop of Westminster to the peerage and a seat in the House of Lords will be awarded to him. For this purpose, would the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in mid-February during his visit to Rome with Pope Benedict XVI. spoken. For this step, a dispensation of the Pope is necessary. At the same time it would be a historic step, because since the Reformation only Anglican bishops have been members of the upper house.
On 3 April 2009, Pope Benedict XVI. his resignation as Archbishop of Westminster and appointed the former Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols, as his successor.
Memberships
Cardinal Cormac Murphy - O'Connor is a member of the following institutions of the Roman Curia:
- Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (since 2001)
- Congregation for Bishops (since 2009)
- Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (since 2009)
- Pontifical Council for the Family
- Pontifical Council for Culture
- Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
- Administration of goods of the Apostolic See (since 2001)