Sir, – Seeing as March 11th was Commonwealth Day and all the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide were in Rome to choose a successor to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the British ambassador to Rome hosted a formal dinner for the cardinals from Commonwealth countries.
Ireland’s Cardinal Seán Brady was an invited guest. This I find curious. If the inclusion of Cardinal Brady at the Commonwealth dinner was for personal reasons then I have no issues, but if he was invited on the basis that his See is in Armagh and therefore regarded as a Commonwealth Cardinal then I do have an issue.
Cardinal Brady is Archbishop of Armagh and his diocese extends from counties Tyrone, Armagh and Derry in the North to counties Meath and Louth in the Republic. He is also Primate of All-Ireland and the geographical jurisdiction of that office covers all 32 counties. His attendance at this dinner could be regarded by some as Ireland’s return to the Commonwealth. He should not have allowed his office to be so compromised. Cardinal Brady has a duty to uphold the separatist ethos of Irish independence. – Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Delaford Lawn,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16,