Pope Benedict XVI's surprise choice of Archbishop Sean Brady as a Prince of the Universal Church means that, for the first time in its history, Ireland has three resident Cardinals.Stressing the honour conferred on the archdiocese of Armagh, the See of St Patrick, the 68-year-old Archbishop said it was a daunting privilege for him to join Cardinal Cahal Daly and Cardinal Desmond Connell in the College of Cardinals.
Last night, the German pontiff's nomination of Archbishop Brady was widely seen as highlighting His Holiness's special interest in the consolidation of the peace process in the North.
Dr Brady's appointment has also renewed speculation that the Pope may be considering a visit to the North next year.
Archbishop Brady did not rule the possibility of a papal visit, but said that the Pope's travel schedule was already busy, and he was not as frequent a traveller on account of his age as was his predecessor, the late Pope John Paul II.
Archbishop Brady, who last year issued an invite on behalf of the Episcopal Conference to the Pope to come to Ireland, stressed the importance attached by Benedict to the promotion of reconciliation by the Stormont power-sharing Executive, which he later emphasised at his news conference in Armagh.
"I hope that those who have worked so hard to establish peace in recent years will see in this honour a further expression of Pope Benedict's confidence in what has been achieved," Dr Brady said.
"I know that the continued success of the political institutions in Northern Ireland and the effort to move to the deeper dimensions of reconciliation, are matters close to the heart of the Pope," Dr Brady added.
"I believe this announcement is in part an expression of his desire to see that process continue to succeed and become a model for the rest of the world."
In a similar vein, President McAleese and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, both of whom have also told Pope Benedict that he would be warmly received in Ireland, stressed the boost given to the North of Archbishop Brady's elevation to the elite College of Cardinals.
President McAleese hailed Archbishop Brady's "huge contribution" to the peace process, while the Taoiseach said he had championed the cause of peace and had been tireless and passionate in challenging those who supported violence as a means of advancing political objectives.
The Cavan-born prelate, who has been Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland for 11 years, will receive the traditional Red Hat personally from the German pontiff at a Consistory, to be held in Rome on Saturday November 24.
Archbishop Brady was named yesterday by Pope Benedict at the end of his weekly Wednesday Audience in Rome's St Peter's Square as one of 24 new Cardinals.
The news of his elevation was described by the Cardinal-designate as "a mark of the affection and esteem of the Holy Father for the whole Church in Ireland."
Personally, Dr Brady said he was "honoured but humbled" by his appointment to the cardinalate, which he had not expected at this time.
Unlike the retired Cardinal Cahal Daly (90) and Desmond Connell (81), who lost their right to vote when they reached 80, the 68-year-old Cardinal- designate, will have the right to take part in the secret Conclave to elect the next Pope.
He asked the Irish people for their prayers as he prepared to undertake his new responsibilities within the universal Church, and he expressed his gratitude to President McAleese, to the Taoiseach and the Irish Government, to the Oireachtas as well as to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister at Stormont and the various members of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly for their warm congratulations.
Dr Brady also acknowledged "the support" conveyed by the British Government, as well as from the Church of Ireland Primate, Alan Harper, the Presbyterian Moderator John Finlay and the Methodist President Roy Cooper.
Born on August 16, 1939, in Laragh, Co Cavan, Dr Brady was educated at Caulfield National School, Laragh, and St. Patrick's College, Cavan.
After taking a BA in Classics at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, he studied for a Licentiate in Theology at the Lateran University, Rome, and took a doctorate in Canon Law, also at the Lateran University.
Ordained a priest in February, 1964, he did a long stint as Rector of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome from 1987 to 1993 before being appointed a parish priest in his native diocese of Kilmore.
In February 1995, he was the surprise appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, taking over the following year from Cardinal Daly.
Archbishop Brady has a brother, Con Brady, who lives in Cavan, and a sister, Mrs Kitty Mulligan, who lives in Dublin. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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