Cathedral to host installation of new Bishop of Arundel & Brighton

The installation of Bishop Richard Moth as the 5th Bishop of Arundel & Brighton which covers all of Sussex will take place during Mass in Arundel Cathedral, Arundel on Thursday May 28 2015 at 3pm.
Bishop Richard Moth SUS-150522-105031001Bishop Richard Moth SUS-150522-105031001
Bishop Richard Moth SUS-150522-105031001

The Most Rev Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton will conduct the Installation. The homily at Mass will be preached by the new Bishop, Rt Rev Richard Moth.

The 56-year old bishop said he has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the welcome he has received, since his appointment was announced.

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“I’ve had a fairly huge amount of correspondence,” he said. “And I have been made extremely welcome. It has been quite overwhelming.”

The Mass of Installation will be concelebrated by Their Eminencies, Cardinals Nicholls and Murphy-O’Connor, Most Rev Peter Smith, the Archbishop of Southwark, together with 21 other Bishops from England and Wales, the Abbot of Worth, Fr Luke Jolly OSB and the Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert, former Abbot of Pluscarden where Bishop Richard is an oblate.

There will as well be over 170 priests from the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, Forces Chaplains, the Archdiocese of Southwark, and elsewhere. Also present will be 29 Deacons from the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton.

The Cathedral will be full to capacity with a congregation of over 600.

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Among the invited guests will be numerous dignitaries including the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal, Edward Fitzalan Howard and his family, and representing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Lords Lieutenants of West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey, representing Pope Francis, the Papal Nuncio (Ambassador of the Vatican state to the Court of St James) His Excellency, Archbishop Antonio Mennini as well as ecumenical guests including the Bishop of Chichester, Rt Rev Martin Warner and the Bishop of Dorking, Rt Rev Ian Brackley.

Importantly there will also be representatives from every parish and Catholic school in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton. The clergy and people of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton are looking forward to welcoming their new Bishop to his Cathedral.

A Diocesan spokesman said: “After a period without a bishop it will be a day of great joy to welcome Bishop Richard Moth as our new bishop.

“ We will once again be fully the Catholic Church gathered around our bishop and we can once more look to the future with confidence. It is a time of new beginnings for the Diocese. Not everybody who would wish to will be able to attend the Installation of Bishop Richard in Arundel Cathedral, but anybody who wishes to meet him and welcome him can join him at the Amex Stadium in Falmer, near Brighton on Sunday 5th July for the Festival in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese.”

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n The Diocese of Arundel & Brighton was established on May 28 1965, having previously been a part of the larger Archdiocese of Southwark.

The Diocese comprises the counties of West & East Sussex, Surrey outside of the Greater London Borough, and the City of Brighton & Hove. It is one of 22 Roman Catholic Dioceses in England & Wales.

Report and picture contributed by Mark Woods, Diocesan Communications Officer.