Welcome for new Ulster cardinal

Reaction:Seán Brady was "one of the humblest priests ever to be made a cardinal," the North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said yesterday at the Irish College in Rome.

His elevation to the College of Cardinals was "recognition for a very special man," said the Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward at the same venue.

"I salute the Pope's good judgment," said the Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Alan Harper in a statement.

"Tremendous," was the reaction of Paddy Byrne, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbanus, in St Peter's Basilica

"A great shot in the arms for the morale of the Irish church," said Brendan O'Reilly and his wife Áine, both from Dublin and each carrying a tricolour in St Peter's.

"A wonderful experience," said Maireád and Kevin Quinn from Collegeland in Armagh, of being there. They were "great admirers of Archbishop Brady".

"A great day for Ireland," wrote President Mary McAleese in the visitors' book at the Irish College in Rome when she arrived there on Saturday.

"A great day for Ulster," wrote her husband Martin.

"It is great to see another Ulster cardinal, after Cardinal Ó Fiaich and Cardinal Daly," said Martin McGuinness, speaking to the media.

"It is tremendous to be here," he said. The new cardinal "has been a long-standing supporter of the peace process and the political transformation that is taking place," he said.

Mr McGuinness then chided the media for missing important words from First Minister Dr Ian Paisley following a recent meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Armagh.

"He - Dr Paisley - pointed the way forward for all of us. Those were important words. I think the media missed that," Mr McGuinness said.

"It is a very proud day for everybody in Northern Ireland and Ireland," said Shaun Woodward, who also said it indicated how the Pope felt about Ireland. Asked how Protestants might see it, he replied: "speaking as a non-Catholic, I certainly welcome it."

The elevation of Cardinal Brady "has given me, personally, and indeed everyone to whom I have spoken, the very greatest joy and satisfaction," said Archbishop Harper.

"Those of us from other denominations who are privileged to work closely with the archbishop know that in him we have a colleague of generosity, warmth and true spiritual depth," he said.