Cardinal error,

says the
Vatican
SUGGESTIONS that the British Government is secretly trying to persuade the Vatican not to make a Cardinal of Archbishop Tomas 0 Fiaich of Armagh have been strongly denied.
The allegations were made in the Dublin-based Sunday Press. "Sources in Rome have confirmed that there has been a recent flurry of diplomatic activity on the part of Britain's representative to the Holy See," the newspaper claimed. "The object appears to be to block the elevation of Archbishop 0 Fiaich to the Cardinalate."
Senior Vatican sources said that the story does not make sense. "Armagh is the primatial see," one said. "From the moment a bishop is installed in the Archdiocese, he is automatically the Primate without need for any Vatican announcement."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office in London said it would not dream of interfering in Church appointments.
The "flurry of diplomatic activity" at the British legation to the Holy See may be because a new minister has just been appointed. Mr Geoffrey Crossley has been appointed to succeed Douglas Malcolm.
There has been considerable discussion in The Times on whether the Minister at the Vatican should be replaced by a full ambassador and the Apostolic Delegate in London should become upgraded to the position of Nuncio.
Although both the British minister at the Vatican and the Apostolic Delegate both enjoy full diplomatic privileges, their diplomatic status does not Imply full recognition.