Cardinal Cormac joins Pontifical Council for Christian Unity

Pope John Paul II has appointed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor as a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity for a period of five years. Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council, also wrote to Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor expressing his own delight at the decision: "The decision of the Holy Father imparts particular joy as it enables this Dicastery to involve you more directly in its aims and activities, and to benefit from your valuable experience and collaboration." On receipt of this news, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said: "I'm very pleased to be appointed member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The understanding and promotion of ecumenism have been important aspects of my Episcopal life and I look forward to making a further contribution to this valuable work within the life of the Church through this particular Pontifical Council." Other members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity include Cardinals Joseph Ratzinger, Roger Etchegaray, Francis Arinze and Jozef Tomko. In February 2001 Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was created member of the Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, the Pontifical Council for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See and the Presidential Committee of the Pontifical Council for the Family. In April 2002, he was appointed as Member of the Pontifical Council for Culture and in June 2002 as Member of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church. This is his seventh appointment to a Vatican Dicastery. source: Archbishops House