Irish ecumenical history was made on Thursday night when the remains of Cardinal Desmond Connell were received at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, by the city’s two archbishops, Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson.
During the ceremony afterwards Archbishop Martin expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Jackson for being there.
He also said the presence of
representatives of the religious community and the large number of
clergy was “indicative of the affection felt for Cardinal Connell for
his kindness to his priests on so many occasions”.
Cardinal Connell (90), who was archbishop of Dublin from 1988 to 2004, died on Tuesday last.
In a homily, Auxiliary Bishop of
Dublin Eamonn Walsh spoke of the late cardinal’s “deep, deep faith” his
gifts “as a philosopher, historian and lover of classical music;
Malebranche, Mahler, the French Revolution.”
Use of words
Recalling that the cardinal used
words “with laser precision”, he said such exactness “did not gift him
to deal with modern communications.
Mixed with the complexities of
scrupulosity, he was not equipped for the world of soundbites,
door-stepping and media deadlines. It was not his forte.”
Being thrust “from the world of
academia into being the front person for the largest diocese in the
country had him stepping on the occasional landmine”.
This “often would have left him in a lonely place, were it not for his deep faith and belief that God was beside him.”
Remembering Cardinal Connell’s reaction to Mary Raftery’s documentary Cardinal Secrets, broadcast on RTÉ television in October 2002, Bishop Walsh
said “his countenance visibly changed; contorted in shock and horror at
the unspeakable depraved, degrading abuse unfolding before his eyes”.
It was “a seismic shift in his understanding”, but “it was a watershed moment that came too late for many”.
“He asked, and would want me to do
so again today, to express without reservation his bitter regret and
‘ask for forgiveness from those so shamefully harmed’.”
Sense of humour
Later in the homily the bishop
recalled Cardinal Connell’s “wonderful sense of humour” and how he loved
to lace conversations with quotations from Gilbert and Sullivan.
“He had his own parody of ‘I am the very model of a modern major general’.”
Or “when somebody would say
something that was totally irrelevant, he would say: ‘Like the flowers
that bloom in the spring ha, ha, nothing to do with the case.’”
He criticised “in a fond way”.
Talking “about somebody who didn’t like hard work he’d have him saying:
‘I don’t like to work on Wednesdays as it’s inclined to spoil both
weekends.’”
Bishop Walsh said: “We ask God’s
mercy and welcome home to Cardinal Desmond Connell, a man of deep faith,
integrity of character, deep love for his people and priests, and a
person all too conscious of his own weaknesses and inadequacies.”
Accompanying the two archbishops
in receiving the remains at the pro-cathedral were Bishop Walsh and
fellow Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Ray Field, Bishop of Clonfert John Kirby, Vicar General in Dublin Msgr Paul Callan, Fr Damian McNeice who worked as spokesman for Cardinal Connell, and Canon Damian O’Reilly, administrator at the pro-cathedral.
Among those who carried the coffin
to the altar were Msgr Dan O’Connor and Msgr John Wilson who worked at
archbishop’s house with the late cardinal.
Symbols placed on his coffin included a pall, a book of the gospels, a cross, a stole and mitre.
Chief mourners were the late
cardinal’s’s sister-in-law, Peggy; nephews John, Denis and Mark;
grandnieces, grandnephews, a wide family circle and his carers.
The funeral Mass will be at 11am on Friday, with interment afterwards in the pro-cathedral crypt.