Cardinal apologises to Empey over ‘theology' slur

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin today apologised for an interview in which he said that his Church of Ireland counterpart "wouldn’t have much theological competence".

Cardinal Desmond Connell had also described the Church of Ireland’s Dr Walton Empey as not being regarded as a "high flier."

I hold him in the greatest respect, and respect in particular his widely-acknowledged and admired pastoral gifts. Cardinal Desmond Connell's apology to his Church of Ireland counterpart Dr Walton Empey

In the course of the interview, Cardinal Connell also directed criticism at Dublin's Trinity College University and gay rights activist Senator David Norris.

Today however the Cardinal said the extended interview had been given almost a year ago in connection with a book due to be published next month.

He said the comments he made were "likely to give rise to misunderstanding" and added: "Interviews can sometimes be so careful that they say nothing.

"But I am all too aware that I myself sometimes say things in the course of an interview without sufficiently adverting to the reactions of others.

"When the result is the giving of offence, no one is more regretful than I am - and this is so in the present instance."

Cardinal Connell said he and Archbishop Empey enjoyed warm personal relations, which he greatly valued, and stressed: "I hold him in the greatest respect, and respect in particular his widely-acknowledged and admired pastoral gifts.

"I sincerely look forward to a continuation and development of our work together in the coming years."

Dr Empey is currently on holiday and was today not available to comment on either the Cardinal's original remarks, or his later statement.

But the Church of Ireland Archdeacon of Dublin, the Rev Gordon Linney, said: "To many people in the Church of Ireland and beyond, the words in his interview will be regretted.

"I, personally, am very saddened by them."