Author Archives: archbishopjohnwilson

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ I extend to each of you, and to your families and loved ones, my warm good wishes as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour this Christmas. I pray that, in a deepened way, your heart might be opened to the loving closeness of the Lord Jesus. Now, andContinue reading “Pastoral Letter for the Solemnity of the Holy Family 2021“

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ I wonder how many times this year you’ve been serenaded by Wizzard’s yuletide anthem ‘I wish it could be Christmas everyday’? Whether you love it, or hate it, for the past 48 years – yes, 48 years – it’s been the backing track for Christmas shopping and festive parties.Continue reading “Christmas Midnight Mass 2021, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear brothers and Sisters in Christ This evening is a stopping place. We have many shopping places on the way towards Christmas. But this is a stopping place. A time to pause, and ponder and prepare for the coming of Christ. As I look out at you this evening, I wonder what thoughts, worries, joysContinue reading “Advent Carols and Readings 2021, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

‘It is in Christ that we were claimed as God’s own, chosen from the beginning.’ (Eph 1:11) Dear sisters and brothers in Christ I extend to you every joyful blessing as we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Praying through the Scripture readings for this great Solemnity, I was struck by theContinue reading “Letter to the Religious in the Archdiocese of Southwark on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 8 December 2021”

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Dear Neville When I was a boy there was a hymn we used to sing at primary school which I loved. It conjured up all kinds of pictures in my youthful imagination. It might be familiar to others here from their school days. It begins like this: When aContinue reading “Mass with Investiture as a Knight of the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great for Mr Neville Kyrke-Smith, 2 December 2021 (1 Thes 2:2-8; Mt 16:13-19)”

Dear brothers and sisters in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Dear Knights and Dames to be invested Dear friends, one and all As always, the Gospel takes us back to the homeland of the Lord Jesus. We return to the foundational events of His life and ministry, to the very truths of salvationContinue reading “Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – Investiture Mass, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 27 Nov 2021”

Mass for Deceased Clergy, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark – 10 November 2013 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear brothers in the ordained ministry On the Via Giulia, one of Rome’s most exclusive streets, stands a Church with a curious dedication: to St Mary of the Prayer and Death. It was built in 1575 asContinue reading “Mass for Deceased Clergy, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark – 10 November 2013”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear Con, dear John, and dear Ray A few years ago I visited the Greek Island of Patmos where, in a cave still there today, St John the Divine received the visions he recorded in the Book of Revelation at the end of the New Testament. The Island isContinue reading “Permanent Diaconate Ordination of Constantine Diver, John Fogarty, Raymond Williamson – St George’s Cathedral Southwark, 5 November 2021”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends Long before I became the Archbishop of Southwark I had already heard of St Francis Leprosy Guild. Some years ago a priest-friend of mine did a sponsored slim to raise funds to support its work. He was very successful – at the time. Since then, the poundsContinue reading “St Francis Leprosy Guild 125th Anniversary Mass – 30 October 2021”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends The great soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa made, perhaps, one of the most sublime recordings ever of Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs. Composed in 1948, when Strauss was 84, the songs, originally one piece – are titled ‘Spring,’ ‘September,’ ‘When falling asleep,’ and ‘At Sunset.’ Apart fromContinue reading “Final Mass of Thanksgiving – St John’s Seminary, Wonersh – 22 October 2021”