Don't fear a Catholic monarch, says Cardinal

BY MARK GREAVES
CARDINAL CORMAC MurphyO'Connor has said that the British people should not be afraid of a Catholic monarch.
He admitted that there would be "anomalies" because of the monarch's role as head of the Church of England, and added: "We are looking in the far distance."
The Cardinal is planning to urge Gordon Brown to repeal the Act of Settlement, which forbids Catholics from ascending to the throne, when the two leaders meet in the autumn. He said he was confident that common sense would prevail and that the discrimination inherent in the law would come to an end.
Mr Brown caused a storm of protest earlier this month when he backed down from overturning the law as part of his constitutional reform.
Under the 1701 Act of Settlement any member of the Royal Family who marries a Catholic or converts to Catholicism loses his or her place in the line of succession.
"Most people can't understand why a member of the Royal Family can many a Sikh, Hindu or Jew but not a Roman Catholic," the Cardinal said in an interview with the Sunday Times. "Most Catholics would say it is discrimination. Most people would agree that it isn't right. For the Roman Catholic people of this country it has been a very gradual process of taking away laws which have been discriminatory."
When asked if opposition to a Catholic occupying the throne was an obstacle to reform, the Cardinal said: "I don't think people should fear a Catholic monarch.
"There would be anomalies in having a Catholic monarch because of the establishment of the Church of England. And so we are looking in the far distance."
The link between the Church of England and the British state is already being weakened. In his constitutional reform Mr Brown proposed giving up his right to appoint Church of England bishops. But the Prime Minister scrapped radical plans to replace the Act of Settlement with a Bill of Rights that would have allowed people of any faith to hold public office.
Mr Brown's decision was condemned by Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien as well as several MPs. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor chose not to comment at the time.
Cardinal O'Brien said: "I remain deeply disappointed that the Act of Settlement will continue to exist and believe it constitutes state-sponsored sectarianism."
Cardinal O'Brien revealed that he had written to Mr Brown in April last year calling the law "an outstanding example of bigotry and sectarianism". He received no reply.
Cardinal MurphyO'Connor said that for his remaining time as Archbishop of Westminster he would give most emphasis to strengthening the family.
"All the evidence suggests that strong families enable individuals to have good lives and families strengthen the whole community," he said.
"The loss of a strong family life has been at the heart of instability in the country."
The Cardinal said that families spring from marriage and he hoped that politicians would give married couples more support. He refused to comment about tax breaks for married couples.
"The Government should look at ways to enrich the family without discriminating against anybody," he said.