Category Archives: Uncategorized

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”

To be read at all Vigil and Sunday Masses over the weekend of 16/17 October 2021 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has invited the Catholic Church across the world to begin a journey of listening attentively to the Lord and to each other. We want to deepen our understandingContinue reading “Archdiocese of Southwark – Pastoral Letter for the Opening of the Synod”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Dear friends As we mark this blessed centenary celebration we return to Dublin, almost exactly one hundred years ago, to Myra House on Francis Street, owned by the Society of St Vincent de Paul. There, as you well know, on the 7th September 1921, in the top back room,Continue reading “Mass for the Centenary of the Legion of Mary, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, 25 September 2021”

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”