I  had lunch with Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor during what would be his last visit to the English College in Rome. It was the end of October last year, and the cardinal was in town for a weekend of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination. One of the highlights he’d arranged was for five of his former secretaries and various members of his family to meet Pope Francis with him.  

He and I met at the college, which was always his base in Rome, and we walked together across the Piazza Farnese to one of his favourite restaurants nearby, La Quercia.