THE British government’s efforts to influence the Vatican's choice of a new Archbishop of Armagh features in previously confidential files declassified today.
In a memo from senior NIO official Brian Blackwell to Northern Ireland Minister of State, Dr Brian Mawhinney and officials - dated June 5 1990 - he raised the issue of approaching the Holy See on the matter after the sudden death of Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich in Lourdes in May of that year.
He recalled a meeting on May 9 1990, attended by Peter Brooke, NI Secretary of State, Sir John Chilcot, head of the NIO and Sir Ken Bloomfield, head of the civil service, at which the NIO was asked to advise on "the modalities of transmitting an appropriate message to the Vatican".
Their aim was "to register our interest in an element of consultation over the appointment of a successor to Cardinal O Fiaich".
Coincidentally, the British Ambassador to the Holy See was scheduled to meet Archbishop Gerada, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, in Rome on May 21 1990.
Blackwell informed officials: "During that discussion it seemed the archbishop, without any prompting from the ambassador, launched straight into the question of the search for a new cardinal".
The nuncio assured the ambassador "that the three names ... he was required to put forward would all be people he knew were well regarded by us".
To the ambassador’s surprise, Gerada mentioned the names of Bishop Edward Daly and Bishop Cahal Daly in this context.
Archbishop Gerada had indicated, however, that a direct approach to the Secretary of State at the Vatican "might not be wise at this juncture; this was delicate ground and the Holy See was jealous of its preserve".
However, Blackwell noted, the ambassador, "while agreeing that the matter is rather delicate ... sees no difficulty in raising the issue in Rome - for instance, when he meets Archbishop Sodano (the incoming Vatican Secretary of State) on other business".
Meanwhile, Mr Brooke had received a cordial letter from Bishop Cahal Daly of Down and Connor seeking to arrange a call from Gerada on the secretary of state in June 1990.
The NIO recommended that Mr Brooke should respond positively and personally to the bishop’s request "in view of the personal warmth" of Bishop Daly’s letter.
The British were fortunate, Blackwell commented, that the present nuncio to Ireland took a keen interest in northern affairs and "obviously takes on board the views of the more moderate leaders of the Catholic community". He had recently met John Hume to discuss social justice in the north.
