Pope appoints new leader of Catholic Church in England and Wales
Richard Moth has been named as the new Archbishop of Westminster, becoming the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
He succeeds Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who has retired at the age of 80 after holding the position since 2009.
Bishop Moth has served as the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton for the past ten years and was previously the Bishop of the Forces. As Archbishop of Westminster, he will also become President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, leading an estimated six million Catholics.
Cardinal Nichols originally reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 five years ago, but was asked by Pope Francis to remain in his post. In May, he took part in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.
The search for Cardinal Nichols' successor was led by the Apostolic Nuncio (the Papal Ambassador to the UK), who submitted a list of potential candidates to the new Pope.
A Voice on Social Justice
Archbishop-elect Moth issued a joint statement earlier this week pledging compassion for "those who come to this country for their protection," reminding Catholics that Jesus' family themselves fled to Egypt as refugees.
He has been a vocal advocate for social justice issues, recently praising the removal of the two-child benefit cap.
While some parishes have seen a boost from immigrant communities, Archbishop-elect Moth faces the challenge of declining church attendance across the country. He has also expressed concern regarding the increasing co-option of Christian symbols by political groups, specifically following recent rallies led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Robinson stated last weekend that he wanted to "reclaim" the country's roots and Christian identity.
"We are worried about the rising tensions in society and the desire by some groups to sow seeds of division within our families," Moth wrote in a letter to the Archbishop of Birmingham. "This does not reflect the spirit or message of Christmas."
Legacy and Challenges
Richard Moth will also have to lead the Church's ongoing response to safeguarding issues. A wide-ranging statutory inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) previously found that there had been more than 3,000 reports of sexual assault against individuals connected to the Catholic Church in England and Wales between 1970 and 2015.
The inquiry criticised Cardinal Nichols, suggesting he had been more concerned with the Church's reputation than with the victims. Cardinal Nichols apologised at the time, stating: "That so many people suffered is a horrible shame with which I must live and from which I should learn."
Cardinal Nichols has led the Church in England and Wales for 16 years. Born in Crosby, the son of two teachers, he is a lifelong Liverpool FC fan and took up his first role as a priest in Wigan. He notably welcomed Pope Benedict XVI during his state visit to the UK in 2010.
