Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor was praised as a “priest to his fingertips” during a funeral Mass at Westminster Cathedral last week. Archbishop George Stack of Cardiff said in his homily that the former Archbishop of Westminster was a gifted man who put his talents at the “service of God and the Church and society at large”. He told mourners that in the weeks approaching his death the cardinal had grown “impatient to be gone”, knowing that his “life’s work was done”. “What a life and what a work,” said Archbishop Stack, who had previously served as an auxiliary bishop of Westminster under the cardinal. “Cormac was a priest to his fingertips,” he said. “He was comfortable in his own skin. He was aware of his failings, yet supremely confident in his calling. “He was a gifted man who would have made a success of whatever career he chose. Medicine or music – maybe even golf or perhaps rugby … Yet from an early age he was convinced he should be a priest. “His gift for friendship and his capacity for putting people at their ease, together with his insightful mind and depth of faith, were a wonderful combination of gifts.” Such gifts, Archbishop Stack explained, enabled the cardinal to reach out to other Christians in an ecumenical dialogue that he was convinced was “sorely needed in a fragmented world”. Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor was also a man of sufficient humility to learn from his mistakes, the archbishop added, alluding to his re-appointment of Fr Michael Hill, a known paedophile who went on to abuse other children. Archbishop Stack said: “He acknowledged his mistakes. He made no excuses. He said the most difficult words of all: ‘I’m sorry.’ He learned a huge lesson and proceeded to establish the most robust safeguarding mechanism possible, a model for other institutions. Humility and action were part of the robe that he wore.” Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor retired in 2009, and died a week after his 85th birthday, surrounded by friends and family. His funeral was attended by about 1,200 invited guests. They included the Duke of Norfolk, who represented the Prince of Wales; former Irish president Mary McAleese; the Most Rev Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and his predecessor, Lord Williams of Oystermouth.