Author Archives: archbishopjohnwilson

Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ After a celebration of Christmas Day in restricted circumstances, due to Covid 19, we come to this beautiful Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The home life of the Lord Jesus, of His mother, the Virgin Mary, and of His foster father, St Joseph, teaches us theContinue reading “Pastoral Letter for the Solemnity of the Holy Family, 2020”

Dear friends Every year, for as long as I can remember, my mum has bought me an Advent calendar. As a child, there was a festive picture behind each door. Thankfully, these days, the doors open to reveal a chocolate. And so, like me, people across the world are opening the last door to markContinue reading “Christmas Midnight Mass 2020 St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear friends I wonder what might be your overriding sense of 2020? It has been a year unlike any other we have known in peacetime. Locally, nationally and globally, we are marked by the impact of Covid 19 and the measures imposed to try and curtail the pandemic. For some, 2020 has been devastating, withContinue reading “A Message for Christmas 2020 from the Archbishop of Southwark”

‘God chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence.’ (Eph 1:4) Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Grace and peace to you whom the Lord loves. I wanted to write to you, the religious women and men living and serving within our Archdiocese, to express myContinue reading “Letter to Religious on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 8 December 2020”

2 Tim 1:13-14, 2:1-3; Ps 23; Jn 20:19-23 Dear Royston, my son and my brother Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends Advent is a wonderful season in which to be ordained a priest. Bursting with hope and promise, the Church rejoices that her Saviour, who once came in time, and was born inContinue reading “Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood – Rev Royston Price CSsR, 4 Dec 2020, St Mary’s, Clapham.”

‘Stay awake; stay awake; stay awake stay awake!’ Dear friends, when any words are repeated in a text of the Scriptures we know that something especially important is being communicated to us. Not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times today the Lord Jesus calls us to ‘stay awake’ – to come out ofContinue reading “First Sunday of Advent (B) St George’s Cathedral, 29 November 2020”

Dear Friends I know that Advent hasn’t even yet begun, but sometime in mid-December I will carry out a pre-Christmas ritual that I’ve practised now for many years. It involves reading again the classic work by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Most people will be familiar with the story from the many film versions. ButContinue reading “Christ the King (A) 22nd November 2020 – St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear friends  I want to share with you four messages on this particular Sunday of the Church’s year. This is the first Sunday since the publication, last Tuesday, of the IICSA Report into Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It makes for sombre and shameful reading. I, we, apologise. WeContinue reading “33rd Sunday (A) 15 November 2020 – St George’s Cathedral, Southwark”

Dear Friends A few years ago I visited the small Greek island of Leros. It’s part of the Dodecanese chain of islands that sit snugly in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey. Travelling north from the island’s capital, the road curves around the bay. It brings you, eventually, to a small village calledContinue reading “32nd Sunday – (A) 2020 – Remembrance Sunday, St George’s Cathedral”

‘I thank God whenever I think of you; and every time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News from the day you first heard it right up to the present.’ (Phil 1: 3-4) Dear brothers in Jesus Christ I was reminded recentlyContinue reading “Letter to the Clergy – Solemnity of All Saints, 2020”