Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was born in Reading (England) on 24 August 1932. He was ordained on 28 October 1956 in Rome following studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University. From 1957-1966, he was vicar of Corpus Christi Parish in Portsmouth and of Sacred Heart Parish in Fareham. From 1966 to 1969, he was secretary to Bishop Worlock and then from 1969-1971, he was parish priest of Immaculate Conception parish, Southampton. From 1971 until his appointment as bishop, he was Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome. He was appointed Bishop of Arundel and Brighton on 17 November 1977 and consecrated in Arundel on 21 December 1977 by Archbishop Michael Bowen of Southwark. Since 1983, he has been co-Chairman of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Internation Commission. He was appointed as an Apostolic Visitor to Irish seminaries. He was made Archbishop of Westminster on 15 February 2000 and elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales in November 2000.