A flood of tributes to Ireland's primate for the past 12 years

POPE PAUL telegraphed his condolences on the death of Cardinal William Conway to Bishop Francis Lenny, Auxiliary of Armagh, and to Archbishop Dermot J. Ryan of Dublin.
To Bishop Lenny he said: "We are saddened by the death of Cardinal Conway and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to you, to the clergy, religious and laity of the archdiocese of Armagh as you mourn your beloved Archbishop.
"We pray that as he shared by his priestly labours and his untiring ministry of peace in the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus, so he may now share fully in the glory of the Resurrection and enter into eternal life with the Father. Upon the Church in Armagh we invoke the consolation and comfort of the Holy Spirit who unites all in inecclesial love, and in this bond we impart to the entire archdiocese our special Apostolic blessing."
To Archbishop Ryan the Pope said: "We send the expression of our heartfelt sympathy on the death of Cardinal Conway. We pray that the Lord may receive into his Heavenly Kingdom the soul of his servant who in life gave untiring service to Christ's Gospel in both the Ideal and universal Church.
"Invoking upon you, his brother bishops and your beloved people, the gift of everrenewed faith and hope in the Resurrection, we impart to all our apostolic blessing. " The folloWing messages were sent by British Church leaders and politicians:
Cardinl Hume -yr
I had known Cardinal Conway for only a few months, but long enough to realise how deeply he was affected by the sufferings of his fellowcountrymen and how he longed for a just and peaceful resolution of the discord in Northern Ireland.
I share the sense of loss which his death must bring to the Church especially in Ireland. His warm personality, fine intelligence and keen sense of humour will be greatly missed. I am thinking particularly about his mother in her bereavement." As a close associate of Cardinal Conway in Church administration for many years and, at an earlier stage, on the staff of Maynooth College, I feel personally bereaved as well as deprived of a leader and colleague of the highest calibre.
He has left us in the height of his powers and when he seemed only half-way through the work he was destined to do for Church and community.
Archbishop George Patrick Dwyer of Birmingham, President of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
Cardinal Conway will be deeply mourned by the whole Catholic Church. He was a leading figure in the. Synod of Bishops and his advice was greatly valued by Pope Paul and all his colleagues in the College of Cardinals and Bishops.
In the sad times through which he has lived in Ireland he has shown qualities of great patience and integrity. His work for peace both in public and in private has been outstanding. Hie full story of his work still remains to be told.
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales knew him as a personal friend. Our people respected hint as one who was fearless and forthright in his stand against violence while never abating the claims of justice.
We have lost a man of God whose character was both gentle and strong. May' he rest in peace. Cardinal Conway's death at such an early age, and so soon after he had been at the very height of his energies and powers, is a grievous sorrow to the Irish bishops and a grave loss to the Church in Ireland.
His life was totally dedicated to the work of the Church. He had sought no private life of his own; his life was given for the Church. He once said to me: "We bishops are expendable. the work of the Church must go on
lie has left us with the structures, the organisation, the inspiration, and all the example of commitment to the work of the Church with Which we can endeavour to carry on his vision for the Irish Church in this age of change we face in the last quarter of the 20th Century. His dearest wish would he that, beyond his grave — an early grave, to which in great part the Northern Ireland tragedy brought him — his pleas for peace, which fell on closed ears and hardened consciences in life. would at last penetrate to the hearts of those who could end the violence and bring hack the peace of Christ. May he rest from his heroic labour in that peace-of his Lord.
Dr A. J. Weir, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Over a number of years I have learned to respect Cardinal Conway as a man with strong personal convictions and a sense of responsibility as the principal shepherd of his community.
He embodied much of the traditional Northern Irish Catholic point of view. At the same time he showed himself ready and eager to respect the views of others who might speak with equal conviction out of their Protestant traditions and to seek for greater understanding, co-operation and friendship with them in society.
While always ready to champion concerns of the Catholic community and to seek for their advancement, Cardinal Conway repeatedly repudiated the recourse to violence which has brought such suffering to our land, and was emphatic in denounciation of its perpetrators.
I offer my sincere sympathy to the Catholic Church and people of this land in the loss they have sustained.
Dr George Simms, Primate of the Church of Ireland
The Cardinal had a deep concern for people suffering and in need. His work for peace in the last seven years increased in a special way my contacts with him and in the problems which all the Churches shared.
Archbishop Dermot Ryan of Dublin
It is with deep regret that I heard of Cardinal Conway's death, May he rest in peace. Because he was a big man. both in physique and accomplishments. The Church in Ireland, and the nation as a whole, will miss him.
It fell to Cardinal Conway to lead the Church in Ireland in a period following the Second Vatican Council. It was his aim
to bring bishops, priests, religious and laity forward together. He was particularly anxious that they should not be working in opposition to one another. Under his leadership steady progress has been made.
The Rev Richard Greenwood, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland
I have found the Cardinal to be most friendly, understanding and a man who felt very concerned about the troubles, and believed that everyone should redouble their efforts to restore peace.
Archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool
William Conway ha borne the brunt of so many of Ireland's troubles for so many years that it is hard for us to appreciate that he was still in his early sixties.
Well over six feet tall, he was a giant of a man with a great intellect and store of knowledge. But who can measure the burden he has had to hear on his massive shoulders these last years?
Because of these almost granite proportions, coloured either by an expression of near hopeless anguish or more happily by a quick smile which could lead to helpless laughter which rocked his whole frame, people have not always appreciated the immensity of the demands which primatial office at such a time must have made upon him. In spite of the great sorrow of the situation in Northern Ireland, he always remained committed to European ideals and had a fine sense of the Universal Church. He has played a most important and positive, if often inevitably hidden, role in working for long-term peace.
Cardinal Gordon Gray of St Andrews and Edinburgh
Cardinal Conway was a man of deep, unwavering faith who agonised over the problems of Northern Ireland and spoke uncompromisingly against the men of violerice.
I asked him once what we in Scotland could do about the Ulster tragedy and he replied simply: "Pray for us."
I knew him for 20 years as a friend and colleague on Vatican committees, particularly on the Congregation for the Liturgy.
Without doubt Ireland has lost a great leader who contributed more than most will ever know towards efforts to solve the tremendous problems facing his country.
His work with the leaders of other Churches, and the sound common sense he spoke at the Second Vatican Council, will always be remembered by myself and others who had the privilege of knowing him.
Bishop Edward Daly of Derry
I am greatly saddened by the death of Cardinal Conway. Since I became Bishop I came to know and appreciate his kindness, courage, wise counsel and profound faith. I feel his death as a deep personal loss.
His years as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland have been difficult ones. The violence in the North of Ireland and the complex nature of that violence also called for wise leadership, great courage and a clear mind. The Cardinal provided all of those qualities.
The continuing agony of the people of the North was a constant source of anguish and grief to him. His greatest hope was that he would in his lifetime see an end to violence and bloodshed and a permanent peace in our country. Sadly. that hope was not realised.
Archbishop Joseph Cunnane of Tuam
The Cardinal was a tower of strength in the Irish Church and a tireless worker for the Faith and for his country.
William Whitelaw, deputy Tory Leader and former Northern Ireland Secretary of State
During my two years in Northern Ireland, I naturally had many discussions and contacts with Cardinal Conway.
I know that he was dedicated to the interests of the Catholic community in Northern Ireland and to Northern Ireland itself, and that he was a strong opponent of violence from whatever quarter it might come.
I was very grateful to him for the help he gave to me. I know his life was saddened by the failure in which we all shared to bring violence to an end.
Nevertheless, I shall always remember with gratitude his invaluable courtesy and helpful attitude to me in what was inevitably a very difficult situation for us all.
Merlyn Rees, Home Secretary and former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Cardinal Conway will be missed in the whole of Ireland. I know how much the violence in Northern Ireland grieved him personally as a Christian and because of its effect on community relations in a divided community.
Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi, Apostolic Nuncio in Ireland
am deeply distressed at the loss of the great Cardinal, who was such a solace to the Holy Father and to the Church. Cardinal Conway will always be remembered by me for the wonderful co-operation which he gave to the Nunciature, which is the voice of the Holy Father in Ireland.
Roy Mason, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland