Predicted:
June 17, 2001 Posted: 12:19 PM EDT (1619 GMT)
GLASGOW, Scotland -- Tributes
have been paid to the head of
Scotland's
Roman Catholic church
who has collapsed and died from a
second heart attack less than 48
hours
after leaving hospital.
Cardinal Thomas Winning, 76, had
been following doctors' orders and
"taking it easy" at home after
suffering
his first heart attack a week ago when
he died on Sunday.
Prime Minister Tony Blair led the
tributes to the cardinal, who was once
dubbed `Man of the People' by the
Pope who held forthright and
controversial views on issues.
"His strong moral leadership and
commitment to social justice were renowned," Blair said.
"His energy, commitment
and passionate sense of the core values of the
Catholic church and faith were recognized by all. He will be greatly
missed."
Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish said: "The nation will miss
Tom Winning.
I will miss him. Scotland has lost one of her greatest sons."
The church's Monsignor James Clancy told a press conference the cardinal
had
woken up "bright and cheery" on Sunday morning at his home in
Newlands,
Glasgow, and had just finished breakfast when his housekeeper found him
unconscious on his bedroom floor.
Despite efforts to resuscitate him at home and later in Victoria
Infirmary in
Glasgow,
he was pronounced dead just before 10am (0900 GMT).
Close colleagues said the cardinal had been in "fighting
spirits" after being
discharged from hospital on Friday.
Monsignor Peter Smith, chancellor of the diocese, said: "Just the
other day he
said that he would rather have a heart attack aged 76 than at 56.
"He was very grateful for his health and said he felt he had been
given extra time
and
that the time given to him with the help of his recent hospital visit was a
bonus."
Dr Brian Cowan, of Victoria Infirmary, said the cardinal was discharged
because he appeared to have recovered from the first attack and had not
complained of any further pain.
"Given his lack of other symptoms, there were no plans for further
intrusive
treatment," he said.
Bishops in Glasgow said the Pope will ultimately decide who replaces the
cardinal.
Cardinal Winning gained international recognition when he offered money
and
support to pregnant women as an alternative to abortion.
Politically left-of-centre, he was also unflinchingly conservative in
church
matters.
He spoke out against homosexuality and never offered any support for
campaigners for married priests. (AP
Newswire)
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