Pope Leo XIV Appoints Richard Moth as New Archbishop of Westminster

by admin on | 2025-12-23 01:48:43

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols from the pastoral governance of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Westminster and has appointed Archbishop Richard Moth as his successor, the Holy See Press Office announced on Friday, 19th December 2025.

Archbishop Moth, who has served as Bishop of Arundel and Brighton since March 2015, now takes up leadership of one of the most prominent Catholic archdioceses in Great Britain.

Born on July 8, 1958, in Chingola, Zambia, Charles Phillip Richard Moth received his early education in Catholic schools in Kent, England. He undertook priestly formation at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, Surrey, and later studied at the Université Saint-Paul in Ottawa, where he obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law.

He was ordained a priest on July 3, 1982, for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Southwark. Over the years, he has held numerous pastoral, judicial, and administrative roles, including parochial vicar, judge and later president of the Metropolitan Tribunal, chaplain to the Army Medical Corps, private secretary to the archbishop, master of liturgical celebrations, director of vocations, vice-chancellor, and vicar general of Southwark. He also served as parish administrator in several parishes within the archdiocese.

In 2009, Archbishop Moth was appointed Military Ordinary for Great Britain and received episcopal consecration on September 29 of that year. Pope Francis later transferred him to the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton on March 21, 2015.

His appointment as Archbishop of Westminster marks a new chapter for the archdiocese as it continues its pastoral mission under new leadership.

Bishop Stephen Wright Bishop Stephens Welcomes Appointment Of Archbishop of Westminster

Bishop Stephen Wright said:

“On behalf of our diocesan family may I offer our prayers to Archbishop Elect Richard Moth, the newly appointed Archbishop of Westminster. As we pray for him, we pray for his former Diocese, Arundel and Brighton and for the Archdiocese of Westminster at this time of change.

“Archbishop Elect Richard Moth’s dedication to the Lord’s ministry is inspiring. His experience as the Armed Forces Bishop together with his commitment to evangelisation and social justice will serve our country well in these troubling times.

“As he now moves into retirement we keep Cardinal Vincent Nichols in our prayers. Personally, I have much to thank him for. He ordained me to the priesthood twenty-five years ago and he was my Bishop for nine years. Five years ago, as the President of the Bishops Conference he welcomed me as a newly ordained Bishop. We thank him for his public ministry that took him from Liverpool to Westminster to Birmingham and back to Westminster. We pray he enjoys his long-awaited retirement.

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Pope Leo XIV Appoints Richard Moth as New Archbishop of Westminster

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