The Pope has appointed the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton as the next leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Bishop Richard Moth becomes the 12th Archbishop of Westminster, replacing Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who is retiring after holding the role for 16 years.
Bishop Moth has been the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton since 2015 and will be officially installed in his new role at Westminster Cathedral in London on Saturday 14 February.
Archbishop-elect Moth said today (Friday 19 December): “I am moved greatly by the trust that Pope Leo has placed in me in appointing me to the Diocese of Westminster.
“As I prepare to move to the diocese, I am so grateful for the support being given to me by Cardinal Vincent Nichols at this time. He has given dedicated service to the diocese and will be missed greatly.
“Serving the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton has given me the wonderful opportunity of sharing the church’s mission with lay faithful and clergy and I give thanks for the many blessings of these last 10 years.
“My first task will be to get to know the priests and people of Westminster and I look forward now to serving them.
“With them, and building on the firm foundations that have been laid by so many down the years, I look forward to continuing the great adventure that is the life of the church and witness to the gospel.”
Cardinal Nichols, a Liverpudlian, turned 80 last month. He offered his resignation as is usual when cardinals reach the age of 75 but said that the late Pope Francis had asked him to stay in office at that point.
He came in for criticism around that time over a damning report into child sex abuse allegations.
The report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse on the Catholic Church, published in November 2020, found that Cardinal Nichols “seemingly put the reputation of the church” above his duty to the victims of sexual abuse.
It added that he had demonstrated “no acknowledgement of any personal responsibility to lead or influence change”.
The report findings were met with calls for Cardinal Nichols to resign.
Asked at the time if he was the right person to lead the church in England and Wales, despite the report’s findings, Cardinal Nichols said: “I do what I’m told. The Holy Father put me here and he tells me to stay here. That’s enough for me.”
The report found that the church repeatedly failed to support victims and survivors while taking positive action to protect alleged perpetrators including moving them to different parishes.
Cardinal Nichols took part in his first conclave in Rome earlier this year to elect the new pontiff, Pope Leo, after the death of Pope Francis.
Cardinal Nichols, who said that he had known the new pontiff for a few years, paid tribute to Leo as a gentle and calm person.
He said that he would be a decisive figure going forward for the church as someone able to resolve difficulties “in a way that didn’t leave enemies behind him”.
In a statement today, Cardinal Nichols said that he was “delighted” at the news that Bishop Moth would be his replacement.
The cardinal said that he would “bring to our diocese many gifts and considerable episcopal experience from his years of ministry”.
Archbishop-elect Moth was the Catholic Bishop of the Forces from 2009 until 2015.
He was born in Zambia, in 1958, he was brought up in Kent and was ordained a priest in June 1982.
He is currently chairman of the governors at St Mary’s University in Twickenham and chairman of the department for social justice of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Bishop Moth was also the liaison bishop for prisons and is said to enjoy horse riding and walking in his spare time.
