Author Archives: archbishopjohnwilson

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ I repeat again what I said at the beginning of our Mass. It is an enormous joy to welcome you today, dear friends, to our Cathedral for the wonderful Feast of Santo Niño, so dear to the hearts of Filipino Catholics everywhere and, not least, here in our Archdiocese ofContinue reading “Feast of Santo Niño, 14 January 2023, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark. (Is 9:1-6; Eph 1:3-6. 15-18; Mt 18:1-5. 10)”

To be read at all Sunday Masses on the weekend of 31st December 2022 / 1st January 2023 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ It is a great joy to be able to greet you in this Christmas season and at the beginning of the new calendar year of 2023. I extend to you, andContinue reading “Pastoral Letter for the Sunday after Christmas 2023 Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends, both here in the Cathedral and joining us online Tonight we receive a very personal invitation to come to Bethlehem, to come to the manger, to come to Christ. During Advent, we have prayed and sung O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Now, we rejoice that Emmanuel hasContinue reading “Christmas Midnight Mass 2022, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear friends The past year has been challenging in so many ways for our country and our world. War continues to break the peace and justice of our global family. Poverty continues to steal human dignity. The lives of so many are disregarded as insignificant, and dislocated from their families and homeland. How we needContinue reading “A Message for Christmas 2022 from the Archbishop of Southwark”

Dear and beloved Cardinal Grand Master Dear members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Dear brothers and sisters to be invested as Knights and Dames Dear friends Let me ask two very basic questions. What does it mean for us to keep vigil tonight? What does it mean to bless the robes and insigniaContinue reading “Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – Vigil of Investiture, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 25 November 2022 (Is 62:1-5; Lk 10:25-37)”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Just take a moment to appreciate that something wonderful is happening in our Cathedral tonight. We are in the presence, here in this reliquary, of the physical remains of someone, now in heaven, who, while on earth, saw and spoke with the Blessed Virgin Mary. It really is amazingContinue reading “Mass for the Visit of the Relics of St Bernadette, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 19 October 2022“

Dear Mark, my son and my brother, Dear brothers and sisters in Christ ‘The love of Christ overwhelms us.’ These are magnificent words to hear at this particular moment. ‘The love of Christ overwhelms us.’ Beloved Mark, I hope this powerful sentiment of St Paul is ringing true throughout your being. As you sit onContinue reading “Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood – Rev Mark Wharton, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 1 October 2022.“

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear Abbot Hugh and brother Canons Regular of Prémontré Dear friends and guests In this celebration of Holy Mass tonight, on the Feast of the Archangels, it is with unbounded joy that we inaugurate formally this church and site as the Priory of Our Lady of Sorrows and inductContinue reading “Mass for the Inauguration of the Norbertine Priory of Our Lady of Sorrows, Peckham, and the Induction of the New Parish Priest, Feast of the Archangels, 29 September 2022“

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends It is our privilege today to be able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the happy and peaceful repose of soul of our late Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Since the sad news of her death was announced on 8 September, Masses andContinue reading “Requiem Mass for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Sunday 18 September, 2022, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark“

Dear Michael, dear Joseph, dear Alan Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends My three sons, my three brothers, with all the talk about heatwaves, I have prayed that today you will be on fire. Not literally, of course. But on fire in the most intensely spiritual way possible. On fire with the Father’sContinue reading “Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood – Rev Michael Etuka, Rev Joseph Gulliford, and Rev Alan MacDonald, 16 July 2021, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark.”