POPE LEO XIV APPOINTS BISHOP RICHARD MOTH AS NEW ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER
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Agency Report
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Richard Moth as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most senior Catholic position in England and Wales, the Catholic Church announced on Friday.
Moth, 67, will formally assume office on February 14, succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who is retiring after 16 years at the helm of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, which serves an estimated 3.8 million faithful.
Nichols, who turned 80 last month, steps down following a tenure that ended amid criticism linked to a 2020 report on historic child sexual abuse within the Church. The report found that he had prioritised the institution’s reputation over the welfare of victims and failed to acknowledge personal responsibility in driving reforms.
The appointment comes amid wider leadership changes in the global Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV. On Thursday, the Vatican announced that the pontiff had accepted the resignation of New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan, replacing him with Bishop Ronald Hicks, a relatively low-profile but pro-migrant cleric from Chicago.
Speaking at a press conference in London alongside Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop-elect Moth described his appointment as humbling and unexpected.
“I’m pinching myself,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Pope. “I think we’re at an interesting moment in the life of the Church in this country.”
Referring to reports of rising Catholic numbers in the UK, Moth said there was talk of a “quiet revival,” adding, “I would say I’m quietly cautious.”
On the contentious issue of immigration in the UK, the incoming archbishop struck a conciliatory tone, stressing the need for inclusion. “I will continue to remind society that everybody, wherever they come from, has something that they contribute,” he said.
Addressing the Church’s long-running sexual abuse crisis, Moth pledged a strong commitment to safeguarding and accountability, including meeting with survivors. “I certainly am committed to offering that opportunity to survivors,” he stated.
Born in Zambia in 1958 and raised in Kent, southeast England, Moth previously served in senior roles within the Archdiocese of Southwark before being ordained Bishop of the Armed Forces in 2009. He has also chaired the Church’s social justice department and served as liaison bishop for prisons.
Cardinal Nichols praised his successor as a leader of “many gifts and considerable episcopal experience,” expressing confidence in his ability to guide the Church in England and Wales during a critical period of renewal and reflection.
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