Shurely shome mishtake?Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor is, according to the rumours, in line for a peerage when he retires.
He has certainly done everything in his power to be as accommodating as possible to the Labour government, first under Tony Blair and then under Gordon Brown... the SORs passed with scarcely a murmur from the Cardinal, as did living wills, human-animal hybrid embryos, human embryo experimentation, same-sex "marriage"... Being rewarded for his lack of opposition with a seat in the House of Lords seems only fair...
It is, however, a little strange. I was under the impression that bishops in the Church of England sit in the House of Lords until they retire, after which they relinquish their seat.
Why would a Catholic bishop be treated any differently from an Anglican one?
Has his accommodating attitude been that useful to the government?
Just a thought...
I CMOC were to sit in the Upper House he would do so as a Life Peer and not as Anglican Bishops as a Lord Spiritual.
ReplyDeleteHe would be made Baron Cormac and his episcopacy would be irrelevant.
Don't worry Mac, his name can be put into that book...what's it called, Birks?
ReplyDeleteHe MAY NOT sit in the Lords. It is forbidden by Canon Law. Why doesn't someone shoot this idea down sooner!
ReplyDeleteIf the Cardinal were to take a seat in the Lords, it would be similar to the position of the Archbishop of Canterbury and York, who, having retired as Lords Spiritual take a life peerage. As far as I know, other than those two, only David Sheppard, ex Bp of Liverpool and buddy of Archbishop Worlock,was given a life peerage, and I may be wrong but I think he took the labour whip.
ReplyDeleteThe 21st Century equivalent of signing The Civil Constitution of the Clergy.
ReplyDeleteShame on him accepting anything from this government.