Minister Foster defends decision not to attend Cardinal's funeral

Sarah Saunderson • Published 7 Jan 2010 09:00 0 Comments

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Fermanagh/south Tyrone MLA Mrs. Arlene Foster has defended her position not to attend the funeral of Cardinal Cahal Daly on Tuesday in Armagh, saying her attendance with party colleague Mr. Sammy Wilson would have provided a "real distraction" from the religious service.

Mrs. Foster and Mr. Wilson visited the home of Cardinal Sean Brady, chief celebrant of the funeral mass, an hour before the service was due to take place.

She said their non-attendance at the funeral service was not out of disrespect to the Catholic Church but as an evangelical Protestant she would not have been "able to take part".

Mrs. Foster was one of the first to extend her sympathies to Cardinal Daly's family on his death. "As Peter has been indisposed for a wee while, I was representing the party at that stage," she said.

Mr. Robinson, as First Minister, has been criticised for not issuing a statement until three days after Cardinal Daly's death.

Speaking about her visit to Armagh on Tuesday, Mrs. Foster said: "Sammy and I were representing the First Minister who asked us to go down to Armagh to pass on condolences to Cardinal Brady. Cardinal Brady was more than magnanimous and thankful that we called with him to pass on condolences.

"We did not attend the service for a number of reasons. It was not out of disrespect to the Roman Catholic Church, certainly not, and indeed to Cardinal Daly for that matter. We really felt it would be a real distraction. We recognised this was a religious service for the life of Cardinal Daly. If we attended it would have been 'look who is at the funeral'. As evangelical Protestants we would not be able to take part from the point of view of receiving the mass. I have been to Roman Catholic funerals in the past. The reality is I did not personally know Cardinal Daly. I have met Cardinal Brady on a number of occasions. I was there solely to represent Peter and pass on his condolences in a Christian and respectful way," she said.

"Others have tried to make capital out of this and it wasn't like that at all. If you look at Sylvia [Hermon] , she personally knew Cardinal Daly and Lord Maginnis personally knew him. I wasn't in that position and I do not think Sammy was either," she added.

In her public statement of sympathy issued after the death of the Catholic Primate's death last Thursday, she said: "I send my sincere sympathy to Cardinal Daly's family circle at this time of grief. Whilst I had many differences with the Cardinal in both political and theological matters, I pay tribute to his consistent opposition to the use of violence. His passing has undoubtedly left many within the Roman Catholic community and beyond deeply saddened and we recognise their immense grief at this time."

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 07 Jan 10

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