Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Bishop Richard Moss, who regularly speaks out on social issues such as prisons, as the new archbishop of Westminster, the most senior Catholic cleric in England and Wales.
The appointment of Bishop Moss, 67, of Arundel and Brighton in southern England, is Pope Leo’s second appointment to a senior church position this week, and comes a day after he named pro-immigrant Bishop Ronald Hicks as archbishop of New York.
Bishop Moss, like his New York counterpart, is known for his ability to mediate between differing views within the church, in his case for his dedication to Catholic social teaching in the areas of prisons and mental health.
Mr Moss is chair of the social justice arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and regularly speaks out on social issues such as the cost of living crisis and the two-child allowance cap. He welcomed the removal of the cap, saying “large families are a blessing” and pushing many families into poverty.
As Archbishop of Westminster, Mr Moss will play a key role on the national stage for England and Wales, engaging with the UK Government and taking a leading role in the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Moss faces a complicated political situation due to the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party. While the party campaigns on an anti-immigration platform, it also links it to the protection of Christian values and “Judeo-Christian culture.” His appointment also comes after dissident Tommy Robison organized a Christmas carol event to “bring Christ back to Christmas.”
However, Pope Leo recently warned European politicians against “drawing the word of faith into political battles, celebrating nationalism and justifying violence,” saying that defending the continent’s Judeo-Christian roots is not “simply defending the rights of Christian communities” or “certain social customs and traditions.”
Mr Moss has been leader of the diocese of Arundel and Brighton in southern England since 2015, and before that was a military chaplain. He is a trained church lawyer, former army chaplain, loves horseback riding and says he has had a “lifelong love of Land Rovers”.
The new archbishop is an associate member (oblate) of Plascarden Abbey, a Benedictine community in Scotland, and is known as an able administrator who made decisions to reorganize the dioceses of Arundel and Brighton.
“He combines a prayerful spirit with a down-to-earth practical style,” the Rev. Christopher Jamieson, a Benedictine abbot who heads the British Benedictine order, told CNN.
“He has shown that he is ready to seize the nettle and enable priests and people to find a new way of being as a parish church. His changes have been welcomed as everyone knows where they stand as they look to the future.”
The new archbishop will replace Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who turned 80 last month and passed the retirement age. He has held this position since 2009 and was the one who voted to elect Pope Leo during the conclave.
Nichols faced criticism during his term for his handling of an independent state investigation into clergy sexual abuse, but is also known for his efforts to tackle human trafficking and support Catholic education. The cardinal has held senior positions in the church in England and Wales for 40 years, but his retirement marks the end of an era.
