TRIBUTES:AMONG FURTHER tributes paid to the late Cardinal Daly at the weekend were those from Pope Benedict and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson.
In a message to the Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady, the Pope said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the death of Cardinal Daly. He offered “heartfelt condolences” to him, the Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Gerard Clifford, to the priests, religious and lay faithful of Armagh archdiocese, and to all the Irish people.
He recalled “with gratitude Cardinal Daly’s long years of devoted pastoral service to the Church as priest, bishop and primate of All Ireland, his assistance as a member of the college of cardinals, and especially his sustained efforts in the promotion of justice and peace in Northern Ireland”.
He prayed that “God our merciful Father may grant him the reward of his labours and welcome his soul into the joy and peace of the kingdom of Heaven”.
He concluded: “To all gathered for the solemn rites of Christian burial and especially to Cardinal Daly’s relatives and friends, I cordially impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and hope in the Lord.”
In his tribute yesterday, Peter Robinson extended his “sincere sympathy to the family of the late Cardinal Cahal Daly at this particularly sad time. I am acutely aware of the high esteem with which Cardinal Daly was held by many throughout the community.”
He continued: “Although I never met him, I acknowledge that his contribution to the religious and civic life of Northern Ireland was immense and spanned a very bleak period in our history. He was consistent in his opposition to the use of violence to advance political objectives.”
Earlier yesterday, the former SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon questioned why Mr Robinson had not released a statement earlier, and said Mr Robinson would have been contacted about the cardinal’s death by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
Mr Robinson accused those who criticised him for being slow in making a statement on Cardinal Daly’s death of “political opportunism”. He was, he said, out of circulation due to family issues at the time of the cardinal’s death on Thursday, and since.
Mr Robinson said he deplored the attempt by a few elements in the press and politics to use the fact that he has been indisposed due to “family issues” to suggest he had refused to release a statement on the passing of Cardinal Daly.
“Such insensitive reporting is indicative of the political baggage of those who make up such stories,” he said. He added no statement or suggestion to release a statement was put to him by either the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister or the DUP.
The latter party issued a statement in the name of Mr Robinson’s ministerial colleague, Arlene Foster, because they knew Mr Robinson was out of circulation, a spokesman said. Mr Robinson had been at the forefront of initiating contact between the DUP and the Roman Catholic Church and had met Cardinal Seán Brady with the other church leaders just before Christmas, he added
SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley said Cardinal Daly was “a man of great courage and intellect. His fearless opposition to violence, although not universally accepted, attested to his moral courage and leadership”.