The new leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales has said that the church has failed vulnerable people, urging more work to be done to address the struggle of refugees and learn from victims of abuse.
At a ceremony where he was officially installed in his new role as archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth said: “Here, I am most aware of every occasion on which members of the church, or the church as a whole, have failed – most especially when the vulnerable have been abused.
“Such failure calls for listening to, and learning from, those who have suffered so grievously and a continuing commitment to ensuring that our communities are places where all are safe in their encounter with Christ and with one another.”
Addressing the congregation of 2,000 people in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, the new archbishop added that the church’s “vital” evangelical work is “fragile and adversely impacted by our failures in love, power and self-control”.
Moth was named as the 12th archbishop of Westminster by Pope Leo XIV in December, when he became the leader of the approximately four million Catholics in England and Wales.
The Westminster role was previously held by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who retired after 16 years. Moth said Nichols is now moving “to slightly more restful pastures”.
Moth was born in Zambia but moved to Kent in his early years. His previous role was as bishop of Arundel and Brighton; before that he was bishop of the Forces.
The new leader has spoken publicly about issues surrounding migration and condemned the recent comments made by billionaire and co-owner of Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
In an interview with the Press Association, he said: “Speaking into a debate is fine, but the language is unfortunate, and I think that approach that he expressed is a deeply unfortunate one. I would disagree with it wholeheartedly.”
He also criticised government policies to house asylum seekers in hotels. “I think the debate I would like to see is how can we best approach this issue? Having people living in hotels for long periods of time is not ideal,” he said in the same interview.
At the ceremony in Westminster, the new archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, said Moth has a “deep concern for the dignity of every person”.
“In a world marked by division and uncertainty, the call to unity flows from the heart of the gospel itself – our traditions are not weakened by friendship, they are deepened when we walk together in charity, honesty and truth,” she said.
Moth has also spoken about the “opportunity” for the church to capture the interest of new believers.
In an interview with the Catholic Herald this month, he said: “Most dioceses report increased adult baptisms and a gradual rise in people coming to church. Numbers are picking up again after Covid, though not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. There is also growing interest from young adults exploring or entering the church. So there is a great opportunity here.”
