Author Archives: archbishopjohnwilson

Dear David and Matthew, my sons and my brothers Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends Every would-be priest will have been encouraged in his vocation by the good example of other priests. If I were to ask you, Matthew and David, who are the priests who inspired your vocation, I imagine you could,Continue reading “Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood – Rev David Hunter and Rev Matthew Donnelly, 17 July 2021, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear friends, but especially, dear sisters Perhaps like most of our lives to some degree, the life of your patron, St Ursula, is shrouded in mystery. What is certain, is that she was an outstandingly holy women. A woman of Christ who gathered other holy women around her, with whom she lived and ministered, faithfulContinue reading “Thanksgiving Mass for the Ursuline Community, Westgate on Sea (1904 – 2021) 9 July 2021”

Dear Friends In common usage the word ‘translation’ describes the process of communicating something; something said or written in one language, communicating it into another, a different language. It may not always be an exact, word for word, rendering; but we translate text and meaning to create a shared understanding between people who speak differentContinue reading “Mass for the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St Thomas Becket, Canterbury Cathedral – 7 July 2021”

Dear Michael, dear Joseph, dear Allan, dear Nicholas, dear Joseph, that one, simple word – ‘present’ – together with the testimony given about you, signals that you are ready to make a lifelong commitment to Christ; a lifelong commitment to his Church; and a lifelong commitment to serving his people. You are ready, are youContinue reading “Diaconate Ordination of Michael Etuka, Joseph Gulliford, Nicholas Harden, Allan MacDonald & Joseph Meigh, St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, 3 July 2021, Feast of St Thomas the Apostle”

Dear brothers and sisters in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Dear Knights and Dames to be invested Dear friends, one and all Recently, after many months of lockdown, I was pleased to travel north and visit my parents. So many people have been distanced physically from their loved ones by the Covid 19 restrictions.Continue reading “Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Investiture Mass, St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham, 26 June 2021”

Dear friends We gather today in this season of Eastertide, in the light of the Paschal Candle, the symbol of the Risen Christ. With sure and certain hope in the resurrection to eternal life we pray for the repose of the soul of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, as he isContinue reading “Requiem Mass for His Royal Highness Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 17 April 2021”

Dear friends For my fifth birthday I was given a party at my grandparent’s house. As family and friends, we gathered around the most wonderful cake I had ever seen in my life. I had seen the design in the Co-operative bakery window. Now, to my utter delight, here it was, in pride of place,Continue reading “Easter Vigil 2021”

Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ A few years ago I read an account of medics working on the border between Cambodia and Thailand in the midst of dreadful warfare. With bombs falling uncomfortably near, two doctors, one older, the other younger, attended to wounded refugees. Their first patient was a young woman. SheContinue reading “Good Friday 2021”

‘Your servant, Lord, your servant am I.’ Dear Friends These words of the psalmist touch us deeply as we accompany the Lord Jesus in His passion. The ‘suffering servant,’ foretold by the Prophet Isaiah, tonight begins His journey from the Last Supper towards Calvary and the cross. Every time we celebrate the Mass, when weContinue reading “Maundy Thursday 2021”

‘I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord. ’ (Phil 4:4) Dear Brothers in Christ I want to write to you about happiness. You may think this a strange subject given the experience of the past year and the ongoing pandemic. No one can underestimate the tragedies and challenges the past twelveContinue reading “Maundy Thursday Letter to Priests 2021”