Cardinal Murphy O’Connor, known as Cormac to his many friends, passed away last week in a London Hospital aged 85.

I was a student with him for six years at the Venerable English College, Rome. Since then we became friends and he visited Malta three times, the first time for the Cana Movement.

The last time we met was on November 1, 2015 in London. Cormac, even as Archbishop of Westminister, always was true to his friends and humble, and always in a jolly spirit with everyone.

Like Pope Francis he was always ready to listen and to open his arms to the poor. In this he was similar to Pope Francis and both were elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2001.

The Pope sent a very touching letter to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who succeeded Murphy O’Connor. The Pope said he was deeply saddened, expressing his heartfelt condolences.

The Pope also wrote about the Cardinal’s unwavering devotion to preaching the Gospel and his deep care for the poor, besides his advancement for the unity of the churches and religious understanding.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said his death is a deep loss to his many friends, the Church and the country.

The Cardinal came from an Anglo-Irish large family. His father was a doctor and had six children, and Cormac was the youngest. When in 1948 I went to the English College in Rome two of his brothers were already there. Both worked hard as priests and passed away some years ago. On his father’s side there were three other Irish priests.

The life of Cardinal O’Connor was rich with experience, including his friendship with the Queen Mother. He was the first Roman Catholic bishop to preach at the invitation of the Queen at an Anglican Service in Sandrigham. His spirit, wit, humour and spirituality rooted in his faith earned him the friendship of the Royal family.

Cardinal O’Connor also faced a very hard time from a section of the press about the so-called Hill affair when on his way to Lourdes he was accused of not taking action against Father Michael Hill who was accused of paedophilia when the Cardinal had been bishop of Arundel and Brighton in the 1980s.

As his biographer Bredan Walsh wrote in An English Spring: Memoirs it took him a long time to recover his reputation until he found out what he could do.

Providence worked though the distinguished Lord Nolan with whom he formed the first Commission to deal with this serious problem. His action won him the support of the press and the public as Archbishop of Westminster.

For me as a friend, four years his senior, Cardinal O’Connor still lives as one of my best friends. He was always loyal to the Church, spiritual, a true pastor and administrator. He had a jolly spirit, loved the piano and music and was a great actor in our college plays.

Like his brother who played for All-Ireland in Rugby, he too was a very good rugger. I am sure he has scored in Heaven.