About Cardinal Hume
George Basil Hume
1923 - March 2nd George Basil Hume born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne
1941 - Enters Ampleforth Monastery as a Benedictine novice aged 18
1950 - Ordained Priest at Ampleforth
1963 - Becomes Abbot of Ampleforth
1976 - Becomes Archbishop of Westminster
1986 - The Cardinal Hume Centre is formally founded on October 17th
1999 - HM the Queen presents Cardinal Hume with the Order of Merit
1999 - Cardinal Hume is diagnosed with terminal cancer and dies on June 17th aged 76 years
Speaking out for homelessness
Homelessness was one of the Cardinal's priorities both as a diocesan bishop and as a Church leader. Early in his time as Archbishop, he became President of Shelter, and he was also President of the Catholic Housing Aid Society for 23 years. He was actively involved in both supporting and starting many homelessness initiatives in London. He often spoke out on the moral obligation to reduce homelessness, particularly when the problem of street living began to escalate in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The plight of the homeless prompted him to open the Cardinal Hume Centre for young people at risk. One winter he grew so concerned for the plight of people sleeping rough that he threw open the doors of Westminster Hall and allowed the homeless to sleep there for two years while a permanent shelter was set up.
(Printed in The Universe Sunday June 27th 1999, used by permission of the Universe Catholic Weekly)
