New archbishop of Westminster urges greater understanding of struggles of ‘the vulnerable’ | Catholicism
The new leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales has called for more work to address the struggle of refugees and learn from victims of abuse, saying the church is failing vulnerable people.
At the ceremony where he was officially appointed to his new role as archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth said: “I recognize here every situation where members of the church or the church as a whole have failed, particularly where vulnerable people have been exploited.
“Such failure requires a sustained commitment to listening to and learning from those who suffer so grievously, and to ensuring that our communities are places where all are safe in their encounters with Christ and each other.”
Addressing a congregation of 2,000 at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, the new archbishop added that the church’s “vital” evangelical work is “fragile and negatively affected by our failures in love, power and self-control.”
Moth was named the 12th archbishop of Westminster by Pope Leo XIV in December when he became leader of nearly 4 million Catholics in England and Wales.
The Westminster post was previously held by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who retired after 16 years. Moth said Nichols has now moved to “pastures that are a little more peaceful.”
Moth was born in Zambia but moved to Kent in his early years. His previous position was bishop of Arundel and Brighton; before that he was bishop of the Forces.
The new leader has spoken publicly about immigration issues and condemned recent comments made by billionaire and Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
In an interview with the Press Association, he said: “It’s good to engage in debate but the language is unfortunate and I think the approach it expresses is extremely unfortunate. I wholeheartedly disagree with that.”
He also criticized the government’s policies of housing refugees in hotels. “I think the discussion I’d like to see is how we can best approach this issue. It’s not ideal for people to live in hotels for long periods of time,” he said in the same interview.
At the ceremony in Westminster, Canterbury’s new archbishop Dame Sarah Mullally said Moth was “deeply concerned about the dignity of every human being”.
“In a world marked by division and uncertainty, the call for unity emerges from the heart of the gospel; our traditions are not weakened by friendship but deepened when we walk together in charity, honesty and truth,” he said.
Moth also mentioned there is an “opportunity” for the church to attract new believers.
One report “Most dioceses are reporting that adult baptisms are rising and there is a gradual increase in the number of people coming to church. Numbers are rising again after Covid, but have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. There is also increasing interest from young adults discovering or entering the church. So there is a big opportunity here,” he told the Catholic Herald this month.
