Product Description

Following Cardinal Basil Hume’s death on 17 June 1999, The Times concluded his obituary with a remarkable accolade: ‘Few churchman in this century, inside or outside the Catholic Church, have died more deeply loved.’

Basil Hume served as Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster for twenty-three years and his holiness and wisdom made him an extraordinary leader. In this enthralling biography, Anthony Howard, who has had unique access to Cardinal Hume’s private papers and the people who knew him best, traces his life, from his Newcastle upbringing through to his schooling at Ampleforth and his reign at Westminster, including his long and ultimately successful fight on behalf of the Maguire Seven and the Guildford Four.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #291772 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
'Anthony Howard should persuade even the most secular reader that this Monk Cardinal was worthy of attention.' -- Catholic Herald '...to have any enduring value, Hume's biographer must risk chipping away at a plaster saint. And that Howard does - carefully and with admirable good judgement... He is at his best in recounting the more political activities of Hume...' -- Peter Stanford, Sunday Times 20050612 'Anthony Howard understands the workings of Establishments, political and religious, and is an excellent guide to Father Basil's quiet effectiveness.' -- Daily Mail 20050610 'Howard is an alert and knowledgeable guide to the political and ecclesiastical background to this crucial dimension of Hume's twenty three years at Westminster... Howard chronicles Hume's long reign with clarity and concision.' -- The Times Literary Supplement 20050708 'Anthony Howard has done Hume a service with this erudite and eminently readable biography of a remarkable man.' -- Independent on Sunday 20050710 'A delight to read... An insightful and authoritative assessment of Basil Hume's religious and policitcal role' -- Observer 20050724 'an affectionate and congenial memoir ... delightfully written ... penetrating and perceptive ... This is a splendid biography, an invaluable resource and an inspirational read' -- The Times 20050724

Review

'an excellent biography...it is a mark of Howard's achievement that, as a self-confessed "wistful agnostic", he is able to describe the intricacies of Hume's monastic, spiritual and episcopal life so well'

'An eminent biographer ... Howard provides delightful details of Hume's human side'

Daily Mail, 17 June 2005
'Anthony Howard understands the workings of Establishments, political and religious, and is an excellent guide to Father Basil's quiet effectiveness.'

Customer Reviews

A work of great stature
Rarely have I read a biography that has that 'do not want to put it down'factor. This book is just that.
Beautifully written and brilliantly researched about a man who changed the image of Catholicism in England and Wales by simple humility and total devotion. Anthony Howard writes with great skill and tracks Basil Humes'life with a great respect and handles the difficult times with commendable grace.
The book covers the difficult periods such as the ordination of women into the C of E, homosexuality and Basil's firm handling on all matters with the Vatican.
The descriptions of Basil Hume as a rugby coach,squash player and school master contrasts with his gentleness and compassion over Princess Diana's death and the acceptance of his own, are remarkable in the eloquence of Howard's mastery of English.
Basil Humes' bulldog tenacity in helping to obtain justice for the alleged perpetrators of the Guildford and Birmingham atrocitcies are explained in a no nonsence style where Howard has drawn on his journalistic experiences.
Yet this biography has none of the usual snipping that others from his proffession would bring to the subject of Christianity.
It is a book to be cherished and referred to when the chips are down as it should uplift anybody irrelevant of their faith.

Cardinal Virtues
When picturing the late Cardinal Hume, an image of a tall, elegant, somewhat unworldly man would be a common image. This book gives a well-written substance to this based on the subject's private papers. It explores Hume's intellectual journey on how a teaching monk from Ampleforth became leader of England and Wales' Catholic congregation. The author deals with the daily tasks that cardinal performed to support his community.

This pastoral care extended to the mixed ethnic community that composed the Catholic congregation, which during the trouble 70s extended to championing the cause of imprisoned Irish prisoners such as the Maguire seven to achieve a measure justice.

The author does mention on occasion when the Cardinal was wrong-footed by events and made mis-judgements. These were at times compounded by his innate tetchiness. However, in each case Cardinal Hume attempted to ground his response in Christian charity and whilst he had foes, at least they were not embittered enemies.

The final section of book, on the Cardinal's passing, is one the engaged reader would mark with sadness and perhaps a measure of wryness at the mix of humility & pomp at the funeral that summed up the public image of Cardinal Hume.