Former Archbishop of Westminster

Born: August 24, 1932;

Died: September 1, 2017

CARDINAL Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, who has died of cancer aged 85, was Archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales from 2000 until his retirement from the role in 2009.

He was noted for his work forging closer links with other churches, but he was not without controversy and in 2015 admitted he was deeply ashamed of the way he handled sex abuse allegations concerning a Catholic Church priest in the 1980s.

He spoke of how, as the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, he allowed priest Michael Hill to become the chaplain of Gatwick Airport despite Hill confessing to him that he had abused young boys.

Born in Reading on February 24 1932 to parents who originally came from County Cork, in Ireland, Cardinal O'Connor rose to become the leading Roman Catholic prelate in the United Kingdom.

Throughout his life, he was an outspoken figure, particularly on the issues of contraception and abortion and more than once found himself at odds with Tony Blair, the then prime minister, who himself was to turn to the Roman Catholic Church.

He was installed as the tenth Archbishop of Westminster in March 2000 and the following year he was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was educated at Presentation College, Reading, before attending Prior Park College, Bath. He began training for the priesthood in 1950 at the Venerable English College in Rome.

He was ordained bishop of the diocese of Arundel and Brighton in 1977, at which point he became chairman of numerous committees and other Church bodies.

Known for his warm personality, he loved music and playing the piano.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said Cardinal O'Connor had led the Catholic Church with verve and enthusiasm and had spoken in the last hours of life of his readiness and trust in this next step he was to take.

Cardinal Nichols said: "He was a man of courage who was not afraid to learn from his mistakes and to take on that learning both in public and his private reflection.

"The issues he faced in the 1980s of the abuse of children were much less understood than they are now and the decision he made was made with the support of professional advice.

"He deeply regretted that decision and the fact he did not report that matter immediately.

"He said that very openly but it spurred him on to establish two independent inquiries into how the Catholic Church in England and Wales understands and responds to abuse of children and vulnerable people and in taking these initiatives he was ahead of his time."

In a message to parishioners written to Cardinal Nichols, and published on the Catholic Church's website, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said he had been privileged to serve the diocese of Westminster.

He said: "Please tell them that I am at peace and have no fear of what is to come. I have received many blessings in my life, especially from my family and friends."