Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Richard Moth as archbishop of Westminster, replacing Cardinal Vincent Nichols, a generational shift in the English-speaking Catholic hierarchy.
New Archbishop for Westminster
Bishop Richard Moth, 67, was born in Chingola, Zambia. He has served as bishop of Arundel and Brighton since 2015 and previously oversaw the British armed forces. He will take over at Westminster Cathedral, the mother church for Catholics in England and Wales.
Context of the Appointment
The appointment followed Leo’s naming of Bishop Ronald Hicks, 58, to succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan as archbishop of New York. Dolan had submitted his resignation in February and Leo accepted it 10 months later, after Dolan finalized a $300 million settlement fund for victims of clergy sexual abuse. Dolan and Nichols had been heavyweight cardinals since 2009, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. Nichols became more closely associated with Pope Francis, who made him a cardinal in 2014 and kept him on the job beyond the normal retirement age of 75.
Pope’s Stance on Retirement
Leo has indicated that he wants to respect the 75-year retirement age norm more vigorously to reinvigorate the church leadership, while still allowing two-year extensions for cardinals. In a speech to Italian bishops on Nov. 25, he said the church must “constantly renew itself” and “We must prevent inertia from slowing necessary change, even for good intentions.”
Other Leadership Changes
Leo accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerald Barbarito, 75, as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, and appointed Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in Queens, as his replacement. The church serves 17,000 congregants in Corona, a mostly Hispanic neighborhood, and was hardest hit during COVID-19, losing more than 100 parishioners. Rodríguez is a staunch advocate for migrants and now leads a diocese that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
Rodríguez said in an interview on Friday: “When it comes to enforcing immigration laws, we shouldn’t be enforcing them by focusing on deporting 5-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 9-year-old kids, people that have never committed any crime,” he said. “So, we’re here to help. We’re willing to help, and God willing, we will.” He also noted that Catholic leaders in the U.S. have denounced the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has split families, incited fears and upended life in churches and schools serving migrant communities. The administration defended the crackdown as safeguarding public safety and national security.
Key Takeaways
- Pope Leo XIV names Bishop Richard Moth as archbishop of Westminster, replacing Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
- Leo accepts Bishop Gerald Barbarito’s resignation and appoints Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez as bishop of Palm Beach.
- Leo emphasizes enforcing the 75-year retirement age and renewing the church to avoid inertia.
The appointments underscore Pope Leo XIV’s focus on renewing Catholic leadership and addressing contemporary challenges, while the new archbishop of Westminster and the new bishop of Palm Beach signal a shift toward younger leaders in key dioceses.
Associated Press reporter Luis Henao contributed from Princeton, New Jersey.
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