Cardinal embraces child saved by operation he opposed

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor yesterday embraced the Siamese twin whose separation from her sister in a UK hospital he had vociferously spoken out against.

His tall frame crouched down to greet four-year-old Gracie, who is alive today because her sister Rosie was separated from her at the age of three months. The case had sparked a worldwide debate over whether the much weaker twin should be sacrificed to save another.

The cardinal asked to meet the family on his arrival in Gozo yesterday for the final day of the International Convention of Priests and they obliged by going to the holy shrine of Ta' Pinu, where an open air Mass was held.

After the Mass, the family made their way into the sacristy, accompanied by their other, younger, daughter, to meet the cardinal, who engaged in conversation with her parents - Michaelangelo and Rina Attard.

The family then posed for private photos with the cardinal inside the church.

When asked why he requested to meet the family, Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, said: "I was concerned for them. They had the operation in England, there was a lot of publicity in England and I was praying for them very openly. So I'd like to greet them".

The cardinal arrived on Thursday for the convention, which he described as a renewal of faith. "Here we have over 1,000 priests from all over the world renewing their faith, renewing their hope, renewing their love for their priesthood, for the Church and for their mission. It seems to me that we gain encouragement from each other, not only the priests but also the bishops that are here. And to see in this world of ours this common faith expressed radically here during these days is very encouraging, not only for the priests that are here, but also perhaps for those who haven't been able to come. So, if you were to say to me 'do I think this is a good initiative', I certainly think it is. And it's lovely to have it here in Malta and Gozo," he said.

When asked if the convention was being held in a time of crisis for the Church, the cardinal said: "The Church has gone through stormy weather but the Church is used to stormy weather. Right through its history it has had difficult periods but we have the promise of the Lord that he's with us. If we have faith in him, our efforts and the seeds that we sow will not be in vain".

Cardinal Murphy O'Connor said there had always been things in the Church that needed to be repented and examined. But, he added: "The great thing about the Catholic Church is that it does examine itself and if there are simple aspects, corrupt aspects, then it recognises them, corrects them and says 'we will make sure that we will do better and that it doesn't happen again".