A Catholic theologian today criticised the Vatican's decision to make
the Archbishop of Dublin a cardinal as "ill-judged and insensitive".
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Dr Desmond Connell
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Father Oliver Rafferty, Professor of Ecclesiastical History at St Patrick's College in Maynooth, said the Dublin appointment was a departure from the tradition of having a cardinal in Armagh which was a symbol of unity.
Dr Desmond Connell yesterday became the first Archbishop of Dublin to be made cardinal since 1885.
Father Rafferty said: "The important thing about Armagh is that, as a diocese, it straddles the border. Therefore Armagh has a symbolic value of uniting the country ecclesiastically in spite of the divisions.
"The Vatican has been ill-advised at a time of great political sensitivity in Ireland.
"After all, the peace process is going through a particularly rickety phase just now", he added.
Dr Connell yesterday denied that there was any rivalry between himself and the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Sean Brady. Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Father Rafferty insisted: "Dr Connell is a worthy recipient and no one denies that.
"But I do think the Holy See has been badly advised in giving the hat to Dublin at this particular point in Irish history.''
Father Rafferty said the appointment would have been decided long before Dr Brady last week refused to support the new policing plans in the North as they were unacceptable to nationalists.
But Father Rafferty said: "I think that it is a unfortunate coincidence that, given Archbishop Brady has made such a strong statement about the police proposal, this might be interpreted by some - I don't think anyone in the nationalist or Catholic community - as indicating the Vatican wants to distance themselves from Archbishop Brady at this particular time."
On the Archbishop of Dublin's position, Father Rafferty said: "He is very much in touch with the prevailing ethos in Rome, the prevailing orthodoxies in Rome and he has been more ready to be the voice of Rome in Ireland."
PA