Cardinal Slams Anti Lisbon Catholics

An Irish cardinal has hit out at anti Lisbon Treaty Catholics describing an Irish missionary monk, St Columbanus, as "one of the Fathers of Europe".

Cardinal Archbishop, Sean Brady, who is officially Primate of all Ireland, made the remarks at St Peters Cathedral in Belfast, during the installation of the new Bishop of Down and Connor, Noel Treanor.

Calling on Irish Catholics to recall Europe's Christian roots, Cardinal Brady quoted how Pope Benedict on the eve of the Irish poll described the Irish missionary monk, St Columbanus, as "one of the Fathers of Europe".

The remarks were a reaction against claims by what has been described as 'right wing Catholics' claiming a vote for Lisbon would be a vote for a "godless Europe".

Cardinal Brady said: "In these post-Lisbon Treaty referendum days, it could be salutary for all of us to reflect on that European help and to consider what help we might accept today."

In a clear warning against Ireland becoming isolated from the rest of Europe, Cardinal Brady stressed that St Malachy, a former bishop of the diocese of Down and Connor, introduced the Cistercians and Augustinian monks as agents of monastic reform into the Irish Church.

Also attending the ordination were Irish Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, new Sinn Féin Mayor of Belfast, Tom Hartley, Junior minister in the Northern Executive Gerry Kelly, and the Irish and British ambassadors to the Vatican, Noel Fahey and Francis Campbell.

(DW)