THE Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, faced accusations of hypocrisy from gay rights groups last night after it emerged that he dismissed a senior aide who was homosexual.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, regarded as the spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, dismissed his press secretary, Stephen Noon, three years ago. Sources suggested that the Cardinal was prepared to accept Mr Noon’s homosexual orientation but when he was presented with irrefutable evidence that he had a partner and was living an openly gay lifestyle he felt he had to act.

The row is embarrassing for the Archbishop because, although Mr Noon was dismissed in 2003, details have emerged only days after Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor wrote in a letter to The Times: “The Church has consistently spoken out against any discrimination against homosexual persons, and will continue to do so.” He was writing to counter suggestions that the deeply held Catholic faith of Ruth Kelly might be at odds with her new role as Equality Minister.

Ms Kelly came under further pressure from family planning campaigners, who expressed unease at her appointment. Anne Furedi, the chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: “I find it strange that someone who is in principle opposed to women exercising their choice in respect of unwanted pregnancy can effectively deal with issues of equality, given that a woman’s ability to control her fertility is essential to her ability to participate in the modern world on an equal basis with men.”

Pope Benedict XVI has described homosexuality as “a strong tendency ordered towards an inherent moral evil”. A recent ruling on the ordination of homosexuals seemed to indicate a slight softening, stating that ordination was not permissible for men with “deep-seated” gay tendencies but was permissible for those who could show that they had overcome “transitory” homosexuality for three years.

The Cardinal is regarded as being more liberal on the subject, but if faced with a situation that went directly against Catholic teaching would have had no choice but to take the action he did.

Ann Widdecombe, the Conservative MP and Catholic convert, defended the Cardinal. “The Church’s teaching is very clear. It would be difficult if you had a press secretary explaining that teaching, while at the same time violating it. I am sure the Cardinal did it with much regret.”

Gay rights campaigners were quick to condemn him. Terry Sanderson, a columnist on Gay Times and spokesman for the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association and the National Secular Society, said: “The sickening hypocrisy is almost unbelievable.”

Mr Noon, 35, a Catholic, joined the Archbishop’s staff in 2003 as his press secretary, with a wide-ranging brief to improve the public image of the Church. He was in the post for less than a year.

Insiders say that relations with Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor started well, but deteriorated after Mr Noon’s long-term partner visited him at the office. A source told The Mail on Sunday: “Shortly after, the Church made clear his sexuality was incompatible with the job he had to do. Since he was the spokesperson for the Cardinal, Murphy-O’Connor clearly felt he had to act because homosexual acts are regarded by the Church as a sin.”

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