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Oremus, the magazine of Westminster Cathedral, reflects the life of the Cathedral and the lives of those who make it a place of faith in central London. If you think that you would like to contribute an article or an item of news, please contact the Editor.
Patron
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster
Chairman
Fr Sławomir Witon´
Editor
Lorcán Keller
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Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor or the Oremus Team. Neither are they the official views of Westminster Cathedral. The Editor reserves the right to edit all contributions. Publication of advertisements does not imply any form of recommendation or endorsement. Unless otherwise stated, photographs are published under a creative commons or similar licence. Every effort is made to credit all images. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.
On Saturday 8 November, His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols will celebrate his 80th birthday – Ad multos annos! In addition to being a significant personal milestone, he is now also subject to Pope Paul VI’s Motu proprio Ingravescentem ætatem (1970), whereby he is no longer eligible to enter a Conclave or sit on a dicastery of the Roman Curia, thus making the recent Conclave all the more poignant. Pictured here, Cardinal Nichols met with schoolchildren and staff from across the Diocese, following the Jubilee ‘Festival of Hope’ earlier this year.
© Ashley Avery-Bennett
Inside Oremus
Cathedral Life:
Homily: Eucharistic Festival Mass 2025 by Cardinal Vincent Nichols 6 & 7
Cathedral History in Pictures: Queen Elizabeth II attends Solemn Vespers by Paul Tobin 13
Lord Guthrie’s Funeral 17
Features:
Restoration of the Hierarchy by the Editor 8 & 9
The State Visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the Holy See by Cardinal Vincent Nichols 10 & 11
Finding a long-lost great uncle in St Patrick’s Chapel by Amanda C. Dickie 16 & 17
A Grace-filled Jubilee Pilgrimage to Compostela by Fr Juan Sola 18 & 19
Our Lady of Walsingham in Santiago de Compostela by Antonia Moffat 20
Chapter Pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Paris by Canon Daniel Cronin 21
Nicholas Hudson, Bishop-elect of Plymouth 22
A Kiwi ‘flies’ home by Trevor Koschalka 27 Regulars: From the Editor 5
& 15
In Retrospect: 100 and 70 years ago 23 Diary and Notices 24 & 25
Thank you to those leaving a gift to the Cathedral in their will.
This is easy to do and makes a real difference to the Cathedral. Simply provide your solicitor with the following recommended wording:
Westminster Cathedral, part of the Westminster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustee
Registered Charity Number 233699
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Lorcán writes
On Saturday 8 November, Cardinal Vincent Nichols will celebrate his 80th birthday. Ad multos annos! In addition to being a significant personal milestone, it also marks a bittersweet point in the life of every Cardinal, whereby they are no longer eligible to enter a Conclave, or to sit on a dicastery of the Roman Curia. This follows the Motu proprio of Pope Paul VI, Ingravescentem ætatem (1970), which took effect on 1 January 1971 and was utilised at the 1978 election of Pope John Paul I.
Having received the red hat from Pope Francis in 2014, Cardinal Vincent has served the Universal Church on the Dicastery for Bishops, alongside Cardinal Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV), and the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, and as Cardinal Elector in the 2025 Conclave. He has also recently had the opportunity to join the King and Queen on their historic and ecumenical State Visit to the Holy See, and to join Their Majesties in prayer. For a moving reflection on this visit, see pages 10 and 11.
Happy birthday Your Eminence!
Looking ahead, there will be the usual November fare of remembrance services and prayers for the dead, such as Remembrance Sunday, the Deceased Clergy Requiem, the 102nd Catholic Police Guild Requiem, Irish Regimental services, and the Irish Chaplaincy memorial service. For dates and times, please see the Cathedral calendar on pages 24 and 25.
On Saturday 1 November Pope Leo will declare St John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church, and co-Patron of Education along with the Angelic Doctor St Thomas Aquinas. As the 38th Doctor of the Church, Newman joins the ranks of fellow-countryman St Bede the Venerable and the French born St Anselm of Canterbury. On Friday 14 November, there will be an opportunity to bid farewell to Bishop Nicholas Hudson at the 5.30pm Mass, following his appointment as Bishop-elect of Plymouth Diocese. Bishop Hudson will be installed in the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth on Saturday 29 November. We wish him and the people and clergy of Plymouth every blessing in the years ahead.
There will also be an opportunity to bid farewell to Fr John Scott, the Editor Emeritus of Oremus magazine, at the 6pm Vigil Mass on Saturday 22 November, followed by a reception in Cathedral Hall. Earlier that day, 22 November, the Friends will walk the seven-mile Westminster Way pilgrim route, leaving Tower Hill at 11am. To join the pilgrimage, email Andrew at friends@rcdow.org.uk. They plan to arrive at Westminster Cathedral in time for the Jubilee Year Pilgrim Mass at 2pm. All are welcome to attend.
Westminster Cathedral
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Cathedral Chaplains
Fr Sławomir Witoń, Dean
Fr Patrick van der Vorst, Precentor
Fr Michael Guthrie
Fr Vincent Mbu’i SVD
Fr Paul Zhao SVD
Fr Hugh MacKenzie
Fr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz (priest in residence)
Also in residence
Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories: Sr Jesuina and Sr Angelina
Music Department
Simon Johnson, Master of Music
Peter Stevens Obl. OSB, Assistant Master of Music
Alexander Robson, Organ Scholar
Cathedral Manager
Peter McNulty
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Chapel of Ease
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Eucharistic Festival Mass 2025
Today, my dear sisters and brothers, we thank God for the gracious life of St Carlo Acutis, our newest and dear Saint.
St Carlo is such a young saint, characterised by simple sincerity and a life of holiness. He is an inspiration to so many, especially those in jeans! His methods of entering more deeply into his faith in Jesus were new, yet his message is as old as our faith, a timeless truth to which we pay deep attention today.
He insisted: The Eucharist is my highway to heaven! Simple, profound, life-giving, inspiring! The Eucharist is our highway to heaven! Staying before
our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist is the pathway to holiness. And holiness is our wholeness, for we have been created to find fulfilment in the joy of being with the Lord. And that fulfilment begins here before the Blessed Sacrament, and it ends in the fullness of heaven. The Eucharist is my highway to heaven. This is not a new message. I was reading recently of a phrase used 500 years ago: that the Eucharist is the love-knot between Jesus and his spouse. That means you and me. It means the Church. We are the spouse of Jesus. He binds us to himself with the love-knot of the Eucharist! The Eucharist brings us heart to heart with the Lord, here
in the Mass, this afternoon in Eucharistic adoration. So today we are called to step onto this highway, to entangle ourselves in this love-knot. What are we to do?
There are two things I want to put before you. First, when we come before our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist, we hold nothing back. We come to him, opening our hearts. We put before him, in whatever way we wish, our anxieties, our worries, our fears and our joys, and our hopes. In total freedom, we pour out our hearts, perhaps imagining he is there at our side, feeling his love touch and hold us, knowing that he is so ready to receive us, just as we are.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Now today we are asked to pray especially for the people of Gaza and the Holy Land, for a lasting end to this terrible conflict and the slow building of peace. We pray that the first steps towards peace, being taken now, thanks be to God, may not falter. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, their bishop, has written beautifully and passionately about all this. He writes of how the images we see ‘are devastating and unsettling,’ confronting us with the ‘mystery of evil’, a mystery beyond human understanding. He says we should never become accustomed to human suffering, for ‘every life lost, every wound inflicted, every hunger endured remains a scandal in God's eyes.’ At this point he says we must ‘keep our eyes fixed on Jesus’ (Hebrews 12:2) and together with Jesus ‘we want to gather the many tears of these two years of war: the tears of those who have lost relatives or friends who were killed or kidnapped, those who have lost their homes, their jobs, countries, or lives—innocent victims of a conflict whose end is not yet in sight.’ (Statement of His Beatitude and His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, dated 5 October 2025, published on 4 October 2025).
Companions of Oremus
This is what we are to do as we stand before the Lord in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, he makes present his suffering and death, and we are to gather up the tears of our hearts, of our world, and present them to him, for he alone has the power to overcome all evil. Then there is a second thing we are to do. But maybe this second point should come first. Let me explain. You see, when we come to the Lord in our prayer, we come first of all to receive. We want to give to him all that fills our minds and hearts. But we are being invited, first of all, to receive from him. The first moments of our prayer and adoration, then, should be a realisation that Jesus rejoices to see me here in his presence. We need to spend the first minutes of our prayer simply knowing that Jesus delights in each one of us; he is delighted to see us here, delighted to see how much we want to be with him. This is the starting point of every prayer. So today take care to grasp, embrace, the truth that Jesus, the Eternal Son of the Father from whom our life has come, is filled with delight at our presence, at our face, at all that fills us at this moment. He welcomes us, I might say, with shouts of joy!
We are very grateful for the support of the following:
Leticia Dominguez Abada
Lally Ambatali
Leonila V Bennabe
Keith Best
Dr Stuart Blackie
Anne Veronica Bond
Lolita Botanes
Richard Bremer
Hajnalka Burai
Lorenzo Cabrelli
Mrs Erlinda Chin
Francis George Clark
R & L Collyer-Hamlin
Daniel Crowley
Benedicta Gamogha Dako
Angelita Caronan Duran
Cora Emflorgo
Ms Georgina Enang
Fr Joseph Farrell K.H.S.
Ruby & Joseph Farrell in memoriam
Fred Gardiner
William Gardner-Hunter
Juanita Grecalda
Connie Gibbes
Zoe & Nick Goodway
Rosalinda Grimaldo
Agnes Haein Kim
Mrs Valerie Hamblen in memoriam
Amanda Hill
Jithro and Ira Nadine Hangad
Bernadette Hau
Mrs Cliona Howell
Alice M Jones & Jacob F Jones
Poppy K
Rosanne Kay
Mary Thérèse Kelly
John Langan
David Lawton
Raymund Livesey
Alan Lloyd in memoriam
Clare and John Lusby
Tony McGee
Linda McHugh
Christiana Thérèse Macarthy-Woods
Ms Ludivina Mangmang
James Maple
Paul Marsden
Mary Maxwell
Dr Denis Moloney
Dr George Morris
Abundia Toledo Munar
Euphrasie Mundele Kilolo
The most important thing about this time of prayer, for each one of us, is that I let this love of Jesus flood into my heart. I let it fill my being. For nothing is as important as knowing this love and letting it become the very foundation of my life. To live the life of faith is to live in the sure and certain knowledge of the love that Jesus has for me, here and now, as I am today, even if I find it hard to accept and love myself! This is the love that took Jesus to the Cross. This is his love for me that led him to give himself to me forever in this most great gift of the Eucharist. It is, you will remember, the love-knot that binds us to him, and binds us together. And it is the highway to heaven.
And we can be sure that once we are on this highway and stick to it, then we can grow together, we can become less troubled in spirit, less anxious, and more willing to serve others, for such is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
So let us pray:
St Carlo Acutis, pray for us that we may share in your adventure into the loving heart of Jesus; Mary, England is your dowry, and you have the title ‘Queen of Palestine’. Plead with your Son for peace in your land. Amen.
Chris Stewart Munro
Mrs Brigid Murphy
Kate Nealon
Cordelia Onodu
Nigel Parker
Cris Ragonton
Alan Rainer
Clementina Rokosu
Precy Salvador
John Scanlan
Veronica Scrope
Sonja Soper in memoriam
Tessa and Ben Strickland
Yollie Sumayod
Julia Sutherland
Eileen Terry
Robin Michael Tinsley
Lucila Torrefiel
Peter W Wilson
Dr Timothy I Young in memoriam
Peter and Teresa Zurenkas
and of our anonymous Companions
If you would like to become a Companion of Oremus, see page 2
Restoration of the Hierarchy: Canterbury Restored?
Lorcán Keller
‘Wiseman, as Metropolitan of England, had inherited two distinct offices of pre-Reformation times, as successor to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and therefore held spiritual primacy in the realm, and the territory roughly corresponding to the Diocese of London.’
(‘The Archdiocese of Westminster’ by Bishop Gordon Wheeler, 1950)
On 17 November 1558, having spent their lives trying to reunite England with Rome, both Queen Mary I and her cousin Cardinal Reginald Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury, died within 12 hours of each other, thus ending the Roman Catholic succession of Canterbury. With the ‘Primate of All England’ no longer in Communion with the Holy See, a ‘continuity theory’, took root in the fledgling Diocese of Westminster, following the Restoration of the Hierarchy in 1850. This theory posited that the Archbishop of Westminster had inherited the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, a seat that has remained dormant since the death of Cardinal Pole. This theory is reflected on the brass plates next to the Cathedral Gift Shop, documenting every Pope and senior churchman from the Augustinian Mission of 597 to the present day, including the three archpriests, the Vicars Apostolic (of the country and later London District), and the Archbishops of Westminster.
Interestingly, Cardinal Wiseman did not like the idea of Southwark Diocese, wanting instead a trans-pontine metropolitan see, to include the City of Canterbury. The Holy See in their 1847 deliberations, however, were impressed by the ancient Diocese of Rochester, which spanned the Thames, reaching almost to St Paul’s Cathedral, and would not agree to give South London to Westminster.
In 1894, Cardinal Vaughan wrote to the Propaganda Fide requesting a coat of arms for the Diocese of Westminster, as the College of Arms in London did not recognise Catholic dioceses as legal entities. In doing so, he sought the arms of Canterbury turned red for the blood of the martyrs:
‘The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster in England, made a request to this Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith that there should be granted to the celebrated Archdiocese of Westminster as its own arms those which the old Catholic Archbishops of Canterbury used, with the colour of the field changed from blue to red in memory of the Martyrs who, when heresy broke out in England, adorned that Church with their most noble blood.’
He was also keen that, referring to his plans for the future Westminster Cathedral, the Empire should:
‘[…] possess in its very centre a living example of the beauty and of the majesty of the worship of God, rendered by solemn daily choral monastic service, as in the olden time within the walls of Canterbury, during a thousand years.’
As such, much of the design of Westminster Cathedral is based on imagery and devotion connected with Canterbury. The façade of the Cathedral was completed before the architect J.F. Bentley’s death, with the exception of the ten roundels flanking the West Door, which were installed by order of Cardinal Vaughan. These ‘demifigures’ depict the saintly Archbishops of Canterbury: St Augustine, Ss Laurentius and Mellitus, Ss Justus and Honorius, St Theodore, St Dunstan, St Elphege, St Anselm, St Thomas, St Edmund, and St Boniface. Vaughan himself is now
buried in his chantry, dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury, while his two predecessors repose in the chantry of St Edmund, below the high altar. Plans for the newly built Cathedral had also set aside a chapel to be dedicated to St David of Wales, as the Mother Church for Catholics in the Principality. However, the Marquess of Bute, then resident in Cardiff Castle, decided to fund a Scottish chapel dedicated to St Andrew instead. As such, all three Kingdoms of the British Isles were represented in the fabric of the building, thus giving credence to Cardinal Vaughan’s vision of a national Cathedral at the centre of the Empire.
As the only metropolitan archbishop in England and Wales, the Archbishop of Westminster was, in fact, the spiritual leader of the Church in this country for over 60 years. However, by 1911, Pope St Pius X began to consider dividing Westminster’s large number of suffragan dioceses into provinces. In this, Cardinal Bourne was consulted and he, in turn, consulted privately with the bishops concerned. The original plan was to have a southern province, with Brighton as metropolitan, translated from Southwark. This province would consist of the suffragan dioceses of Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Clifton. The eastern province would be that of Westminster, with the diocese itself incorporating Southwark, and therefore all of urban London, into its boundaries. The new division of provinces was announced in the 1911 Apostolic Constitution, Si qua est, which corresponded with Bourne’s elevation to cardinalate. The new metropolitan sees were to be Liverpool and Birmingham. Bourne regarded the need for more suffragan dioceses as necessary and lamented the failure to implement the original plan.
Si qua est had granted the Archbishop of Westminster many primatial privileges, such as the ability to wear the pallium
throughout England and Wales, and to chair all meetings between bishops as Præses Perpetuus Angliæ et Cambriæ, ‘Perpetual President of England and Wales.’ The Holy See, however, did not accede to Bourne’s request for primacy, as the new Catholic hierarchies in Australia, Brazil and the United States had not been granted the title of ‘Primate’. In response, Bourne argued that, as the title had been used for many centuries and had since lain dormant (for Catholics), its revival was ‘a natural consequence of the revival of the Hierarchy.’ In a letter to Dr Hedley, Bishop of Menevia, he wrote:
‘In view of the Continuity Theory, it seems unwise to relinquish it to the Abp. of Canterbury who makes use of it and prefers it to any other title. Everything should be done to emphasize the fact that the Abp. of Westminster can alone claim, in any true sense, to be the successor of the old Primates before the Reformation. I asked [Rome] not for any new grant but for a mere permission to use the title in the form of ‘Primate of England and Wales’ as being more accurate and not directly conflicting with Abp. Davidson’s ‘Primacy of all England.’
I do not wish to treat the matter as a personal one. I should indeed be glad of the title as a closer link with SS. Augustine, Anselm, Thomas, Edmund, whose memory is constantly before me. But I think it would be a real calamity if this title, so greatly reverenced in England, were definitely abandoned to the Anglicans, and this will certainly be the case if it be not openly resumed by us.
Westminster Cathedral is a great national monument, representative of the Catholicity of the whole country. It ought not now be merely Metropolitan, like Birmingham and Liverpool. It ought surely to be called Primatial, and have in our eyes the place that Canterbury once held in England. This can only be when the Archbishop of Westminster has the title of Primate.’
There had been murmurings and much innuendo for some time, suggesting that the other bishops in England and Wales resented a Westminster Primacy. It is not known as to whether these murmurings reached Rome, as it seems that the Holy See were acting in a spirit of
new beginnings, as can be seen through their argument regarding hierarchies of the New World, namely Australia, Brazil and the United States. Withholding the primatial title does not seem to have been a personal snub to Bourne, as his successor Mgr Hinsley was likewise Præses Perpetuus, not Primate. It should also be noted that Bourne received the red hat and a list of privileges when his territory was divided into three provinces. Indeed, every Archbishop of Westminster has been raised to the cardinalate at some point during his incumbency. This in itself remains a privileged position in the Church. In 1439, Pope Eugene IV published the Papal Bull Non mediocri, declaring the precedence of cardinals over all prelates, particularly primates and archbishops, as had been the custom in many places. In Ireland, the Catholic and Anglican Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin retained their claims to primacy throughout the Reformation, but for the Holy See to be seen as interfering in the Anglican Church by naming a rival Primate, would have been politically disastrous.
The State Visit of King Charles and Queen
In the central courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, the Cortile San Damaso, the red carpets were laid out with great precision. All was prepared for the arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla for their State Visit to the Holy See.
The events of that day are well known: a private meeting with Pope Leo with an exchange of gifts, a ceremony of prayer in the magnificent Sistine Chapel, a time of further discussion, then another wondrous ceremony in the Basilica
of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, and finally a formal reception, and the planting of a tree, in the Beda College.
I was privileged to have front row seats in the two liturgical events, making it a day I shall never forget. Rarely have I attended ceremonies which were so full of historical resonance. The magnificence of the events enhanced that richness. In the Sistine Chapel, I took part in the first time, for many centuries, that the King of my homeland and the Holy Father of my faith, prayed together in a united voice. It was, quite simply, the healing of an ancient wound.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Camilla to the Holy See
And the beauty of the Sistine Chapel was further enhanced for this ceremony by the placing of two famous Raphael tapestries on its walls. The cartoons, or preparatory drawings, of these tapestries are part of the Royal Collection in London and they were brought together, for the first time, when Pope Benedict XVI visited the United Kingdom in 2010. Such attention to detail spoke volumes of the great importance of this moment.
For me, the historical resonance of the ceremony in St Paul’s Basilica was even more profound. In the presence of the tomb of the Apostle Paul, we reached back across the centuries to the late Middle Ages, to a time when the monarchs of our land worked in close cooperation with the Popes of Rome. In those days, the King of England was the provider and protector of the Basilica and Monastic community of St Paul. This ancient relationship, a cooperation, inspired the action of that afternoon’s ceremony and prayer. Here, King Charles was offered and accepted the title of ‘Royal Confrater’ to the Basilica and Monastic community of St Paul’s today. The title speaks of a brotherly connection, of a warmth of recognition, and of a renewal of such a long-lost relationship. For this my heart was full of wonder and thanks.
And, as a permanent expression of this moment, a beautiful chair has been carved, decorated with the coat of arms of the King and adorned with the words of Jesus ‘that they all may be one’ (John 17.21). It will remain in the sanctuary as a visible confirmation of this historic step!
I have pondered these events in the days that followed. They speak not simply of the relationship between our two churches. Just as importantly, they speak of the importance of faith in God, in our shared quest for a true and compassionate human community. They remind us again that religious faith is not as problem to be solved, as so many in our secularised public culture seem to believe. Rather, religious faith, in its purity and integrity, is a powerful resource for our human family which needs to be rediscovered afresh.
I recalled, at that moment, words spoken by King Charles, just days after his Accession, to faith leaders gathered in Buckingham Palace. His Majesty spoke of the duty he had ‘to protect the space for Faith itself and its practice’ in his realm and of how religious faith can ‘flourish in and contribute to our diverse society’. He spoke of the principles of ‘freedom of conscience, generosity of spirit for care for others which are, to me, the essence of our nationhood’ (Remarks to Faith Leaders, 16 February 2022). This Visit to Rome is entirely consistent with these words.
Then, these events have had another resonance for me. They point out powerfully that, in order to move forward in hope to what lies ahead, we have to recognise, acknowledge and try to heal the hurts and wounds of the past. This is true between our two churches. And it is also true in the life of each of us, of everyone. Sometimes those hurts of the past have been hidden away, maybe not deliberately yet effectively. Perhaps they are readily acknowledged and forgiven. Others are a great weight on our shoulders, impeding not only the present day but clouding any hope for the future.
Perhaps, then, it is the work of God’s loving providence that the day of this historic visit of King Charles, and the healing moments it contained, occurred in the Jubilee Year of Hope when we ponder again that true hope enables us to grasp something that as yet remains out of our sight yet fills our hearts with longing.
As St Paul says: ‘But having this hope for what we cannot yet see, we are able to wait for it with persevering confidence’ (Romans 8.25).
Fundraising and Events
Cathedral Floor
As mentioned in last month’s edition, the restoration of the parquet flooring continues, with additional sections being recently completed. Indeed, with thanks to your generosity in 2024, the Friends have been able to sufficiently fund the project in its entirety. Over time, the areas restored at the beginning of the process have faded somewhat. To my mind they now look even better than when first completed. I hope everyone is pleased with the effect of the work.
Cathedral Hall Windows
The first phase of work on the windows in Cathedral Hall has made a remarkable improvement, fully utilising the funds raised at Easter. By comparison, it has become more obvious that the remaining windows need attention. As such, the next phase of fundraising is scheduled for December, through the Christmas Big Give campaign. This will take place online, lasting for one week only, from 12 noon on Tuesday 2 December to 12 noon on Tuesday 9 December. As usual, every pound donated online will be matched. More details to follow in the weeks ahead.
Candle Store
Plans continue to progress for the construction of a new external candle store, funded by the Big Give appeal in July 2025. We are hopeful that construction will begin in summer 2026.
Events
There are three remaining events between now and Christmas:
On Saturday 22 November 2025 the Friends will walk the Westminster Way Jubilee pilgrim route from English Martyrs, Tower Hill to Westminster Cathedral, via St Mary Moorfields, Charterhouse, St Etheldreda’s, and Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane. In light of your feedback regarding the start time, we will gather at English Martyrs’ Church, Tower Hill at 11am. For those not familiar with the area, I am happy to meet at the sundial outside Tower Hill Station at 10.30am. There will be no charge for joining this event but we should be grateful if non-members joining the event would consider joining the Society of Friends of Westminster Cathedral.
On Thursday 27 November , at 6.30pm, the Friends will host a preChristmas Party. Tickets, £15 to cover refreshments, are available online at tinyurl.com/Party27112025
On Thursday 11 December, at 6.30pm, we will hold a Friends’ quiz in Westminster Cathedral Hall with fish and chip supper. Fr Hugh McKenzie will be quizmaster. Tickets £20.
Plans are advancing well for events between Christmas and Easter to include two further quizzes, two talks, and a musical performance.
Full details in the December edition of Oremus. We also plan to resume day trips outside of London after Easter.
For more information or to book any event please contact friends@rcdow.org.uk
Membership
We can only maintain the Friends through members’ subscriptions. Please help the Friends by considering joining. Details at tinyurl.com/ CathedralFriendsMembership
If anyone has any suggestions for future events or to grow the Friends or would like to help then do get in touch.
Andrew Hollingsworth
CATHEDRAL HISTORY A PICTORIAL RECORD
Queen Elizabeth II attends Solemn Vespers at Westminster Cathedral, 30
November 1995
On 30 November 1995, the feast of St Andrew the Apostle, the late Queen Elizabeth II attended Solemn Vespers in Westminster Cathedral, followed by a visit to St Andrew’s Chapel, which had been suitably adorned with blue and white flowers, the colours of the Scottish saltire. Although she had visited twice before with the Duke of Edinburgh, in 1977 for the first Festival of Flowers, and two years later for a similar event, this visit marked the first time she attended a liturgy at the Cathedral.
The visit involved much meticulous planning in conjunction with Buckingham Palace, following an invitation from Cardinal Basil Hume in July 1994. It was agreed that the visit should be ecumenical and, as such, a number of Christian leaders were present. This included the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, and His Eminence Gregorios Theocharous, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain. Also in attendance were the Rev Dr Kathleen Richardson, Moderator of the Free Churches Federal Council and former President of the Methodist Conference, the Rt Rev James Harkness, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland, and Bishop Brian Masters, representing the Bishop of London.
Upon arriving at the West Door, the Cathedral Administrator, Mgr George Stack (now Archbishop Emeritus of Cardiff) introduced Her Majesty to Fr James Curry (then Cardinal Hume’s
Private Secretary, now Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster), the late Fr Mark Langham, then Sub-Administrator, and the late Mgr Frederick Miles, Provost of the Cathedral Chapter. The congregation burst into spontaneous and joyful applause, which gave way to the strains of the hymn ‘For all the Saints’. The Queen was then led to a special seat which had been specially carved for the occasion by Nick Allen, which is now housed in the Crypt chantry.
Following Vespers, once the procession had left the sanctuary, Her Majesty signed the commemorative Centenary Book before visiting St Andrew’s Chapel and
proceeding to the Sacristy for official photographs with the ecumenical guests. She was then led through the long corridor, where she met with the Choir and clergy, to a special Centenary Exhibition in Cathedral Hall. Here she met a number of people involved in the daily life of the Cathedral before retiring upstairs to the Throne Room to take tea with a cross section of invited guests. Many of the people she met en route had watched the service by means of CCTV, long before the days of livestreaming. Those who were there say it was a most joyous occasion at which Her Majesty showed much interest in the life and work of the Cathedral, and stayed beyond her intended departure time.
There were also a number of demonstrators outside, protesting that the Queen had violated her Coronation Oath by attending a Catholic service. However, in light of King Charles III’s presence at the funeral Mass of HRH The Duchess of Kent, the visit of the late Queen could be seen as an important stepping stone. Indeed, the recent funeral was the first time a British Monarch was present at Mass in this country since George V attended a memorial Mass for Empress Eugenie at Farnborough Abbey in 1920.
Paul Tobin
Heading
Farewell (again) to Fr Brian
On Saturday 27 September, we said an official farewell to Fr Brian O’Mahony, who has taken up residence in Allen Hall Seminary as Dean of Studies. We wish him every blessing in his new ministry. As Fr John Scott was not able to be with us, there will be a Mass and reception for him on Saturday 22 November.
The Westminster Way
On Saturday 18 October, 52 people gathered on Tower Hill for the seven-mile Westminster Way Jubilee Pilgrimage, led by Fr Witoń, stopping at English Martyrs, St Mary Moorfields, Charterhouse, St Etheldreda’s, and Maiden Lane, before arriving at Westminster Cathedral for the Jubilee Indulgence.
Blessing the Livestream console
Five years after the venerable Editor of Oremus helped to coordinate a rudimentary livestream over the phone from his bedroom, as lockdown loomed, the much-improved console has received a blessing from Bishop Hudson with the relic of St Carlo Acutis (the adopted Patron of the livestream team). Thanks to Manel Silva (pictured) for helping to procure the relic for Westminster Cathedral. If you would like to join the team of livestreamers, contact Lorcán Keller at oremus@westminstercathedral.org.uk.
St Carlo Acutis Festival
As St Carlo Acutis’ first feast day fell on a Sunday, the occasion was marked the day before with a Eucharistic Festival, which included a blessing with his relic.
The Red Mass
Each year since 1904, around the feast of Michaelmas, a Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit is celebrated here in Westminster Cathedral to mark the opening of the legal year. Veni Creator Spiritus!
Sposi Novelli
Congratulations to Edward Kendall, our former Fundraising Officer, and his new bride who have recently received the Sposi Novelli blessing from Pope Leo XIV at the Wednesday audience.
The Restoration of the Hierarchy
On Michaelmas, 29 September, Cardinal Vincent Nichols celebrated the 175th anniversary of the Diocese of Westminster at the 5.30pm Mass. To mark the occasion, he used the chalice and vestments of his predecessor Cardinal Wiseman, the first Archbishop of Westminster.
Finding a long-lost great uncle in St Patrick’s Chapel
Amanda C. Dickie
On 12 November 1924, following the First World War, the Rolls of Honour from each of the Irish Regiments in the British Army were solemnly placed in the Chapel of St Patrick and All the Saints of Ireland, here in Westminster Cathedral, in the presence of Fr E McGuinness, Chaplain to the Irish Guards, and Bishop Keatinge, Catholic Chaplain to the Armed Forces. 16 of these regiments are represented by ceramic badges around the chapel, separated by marble pillars and surmounted by bronze wreaths, with inscribed plaques beneath.
Hidden from sight beside the altar, in a green Connemara marble cabinet covered with a grille, are 17 green leather-bound volumes listing the names of the 50,000 Irish dead. One volume also
records those Irishmen who served in non-Irish regiments. Many people are unaware of this memorial to the Irishmen who gave their lives in the First World War, which is listed by the Imperial War Museum and Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). I only discovered them two years ago when I saw the entry commemorating my great uncle’s death for the first time.
57 years ago, when I was received into the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Southwark, my mother said I must see Westminster Cathedral. I was surprised, as at the time she was a self-styled ‘Catholic’ atheist. She recalled going as a child with her mother, a devout Irish Catholic, for a special occasion at the Cathedral. I realise now that it was the installation of these Rolls of Honour in 1924.
Michael Brennan in 1912, aged 20.
Through the Royal British Legion and CWGC websites, which were recently updated, I discovered that my great uncle served in the 1st Battalion Irish Guards and was killed in action on 6 November 1914 at Ypres. He is one of 3,022 Irishmen commemorated on the Menin Gate who have no known grave. Founded by Queen Victoria in 1900, and nicknamed ‘The Micks’, the Irish Guards have the privilege of guarding the Royal Family. By visiting The Guards Chapel and Museum, I was able to glean more information, although their WWI memorial was destroyed in the Blitz.
Applying for a service record from the MOD took months and parts were redacted. Aged 19, as a Galway lad he first enlisted with the Connaught Rangers in 1911, transferring five months later to the Regular Army and the Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks in 1912. He was described as of ‘good character’. I learnt that his two brothers also served with the British Army. The youngest, with the Coldstream Guards, was wounded and correspondence indicated that he was living in Bournemouth in 1946. Perhaps I have unknown relatives there.
The 1st Battalion Irish Guards deployed to France eight days after war was declared in 1914. They took part in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent arduous ‘Great Retreat’, being part of the rearguard action against the advancing Germans. The Irish Guards fought in one of the bloodiest battles of 1914, Ypres, which began on 19 October. Catholic chaplains administered Sacraments throughout. Fr Benedict Williamson described soldiers crouching down in a small
Guardsman
1st Battalion Irish Guards, Catterick Camp, 1912. Pte Michael Brennan seated on right.
German pillbox near Ypres and singing ‘Sweet Sacrament Divine’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ before receiving Holy Communion after Benediction. The 1st Battalion suffered huge casualties between 1 and 8 November holding the line against near defeat by German forces. On 6 November they were exposed in the open, ensuring that at the end of the day ‘the greater part of them were missing’. Amongst them was Private Michael Brennan, aged 24.
Lines from The First Battle of Ypres, written by Oxford poet Margaret Louisa Woods in 1915, vividly describe the scene;
Seven to one they came against us to shatter us and drown, One to seven in the woodland we fought them up and down. In the sad November woodland, when all the skies were mourning. The long battle thundered till a waxing moon might wane,
Thrice they broke the exhausted line that held them on the plain, And thrice like billows they went back from viewless bounds retiring. […]
On the grim field of Flanders, the old battle plain, Their armies held the iron line round Ypres in the rain, […].
I joined The Combined Irish Regiments Association who hold an annual service in Westminster Cathedral the Thursday before Remembrance Sunday. Mgr Phelim Rowland, former Vicar General of the Bishopric of the Forces in Great Britian, is their officiating chaplain. On 8 June this year, the Association held their annual parade in Whitehall. It was extremely moving to be standing alongside the Chief of the General Staff, formerly of the Irish Guards, and Irish Embassy representatives. Whilst the band of the Irish Guards and pipers played a lament, I was privileged to lay a wreath for the Irish Guards at the Cenotaph; an unforgettable experience. This year The Combined Irish Regiments will be holding their Cathedral commemorative service on my great uncle’s anniversary, 6 November. I shall have the honour of laying a wreath in tribute to the Irish Guards in the Irish Chapel. Perhaps my mother and grandmother will be watching over us at that moment. The regimental motto is, after all, ‘Quis Separabit’ (who shall separate us).
I often wonder how he died. Was it instantaneous, blown up by a shell, or did he lie wounded for many hours—even days—in the mud? May he and all those souls remembered in the Rolls of Honour rest in peace and rise in glory.
For further information about The Combined Irish Regiments Association, visit www.ciroca.org.uk.
Lord Guthrie’s funeral
On Wednesday 15 October, we laid to rest Field Marshal Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, a wellknown parishioner and former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, with full military honours. May he rest in eternal peace. One interesting detail of the ceremony was the presence of Lord Guthrie’s horse on the Piazza, with his boots facing backwards in the stirrups, a symbol of a deceased soldier.
Poppy tribute and cross laid by Amanda at Field of Remembrance, Wellington Barracks, 2023.
A Grace-filled Jubilee Pilgrimage to Compostela
In the last week of August, 23 pilgrims from Holy Trinity, Brook Green embarked on a beautiful Jubilee adventure together, walking 100 kilometres of the Camino Primitivo, in Spain. We began in the historic city of Lugo and concluded at the tomb of the Apostle St James in Santiago de Compostela. For centuries, pilgrims have made their way along these ancient paths and, now, we too had the privilege of adding our footprints to those of King St Alphonsus the Chaste, who is known to have been the first pilgrim along the Camino Primitivo.
The journey was not a simple stroll but a true challenge: five full days of walking through rolling Galician countryside, ancient villages, and forest paths, followed by two days in Santiago itself. It was at once physically demanding, spiritually nourishing, and unbelievably joyful. We had many good times in prayer, sharing our life stories, laughter, and—undoubtedly—the occasional moan about sore feet or other unexpected issues.
From the very beginning, we sensed the international spirit of the Camino. Each day, we encountered pilgrims from across the globe. Sometimes we would share a smile or a cheerful ‘¡Buen Camino!’ as we overtook them. Obviously, we were the fastest
‘Sherpas’, as we liked to call ourselves. It was nice to see that our group reflected that same international character, bringing together different backgrounds and anecdotes in the evenings. This richness particularly came to life around the dinner table. Each night, we gathered in local restaurants, relishing not only the food but also the joy of being together. A running joke soon developed: we always chose our evening restaurant according to whether they served Mil Nueve, our newfound favourite Spanish beer! These meals were filled with laughter and storytelling. Language barriers faded quickly, replaced by friendship and shared joy. The Camino, we discovered, has its own language—one of hospitality and fun.
Within our own group, bonds of friendship quickly deepened. We laughed over the joys of Galician food and the great pleasure of a hearty meal at the end of a long day. We learned to endure the ‘little difficulties’ of noisy dormitories, where the collective snoring sounded like a full orchestra. Moreover, we braved sudden bursts of rain that left us looking rather like a troupe of colourful, damp hobbits. These small trials became treasured memories, reminders that pilgrimage is never about comfort but about walking together, sharing life as it comes. Paradoxically, we felt happier with the passing of days.
Fr Juan Sola, Assistant Priest at Holy Trinity Brook Green
There were, of course, moments of fatigue. Blisters, foot pain, and long stretches of path sometimes tested our endurance. Yet these struggles brought out remarkable fellowship in our group. Encouragement was never far away, sometimes in quiet companionship, but mostly through unexpected jokes and jolly teasing comments. The Camino, like life itself, wasn’t meant to be easy, but it was truly transformative, and this is a feeling we all shared. Each challenge invited us to trust more deeply in the Lord. He was evidently present in our good sense of humour and the joy we all had in being around one another and relying on mutual support.
More than the physical, it was the spiritual dimension that gave the pilgrimage its depth. We prayed together daily, sometimes aloud, like at morning prayer, and sometimes in quiet reflection as we walked. We shared testimonies that moved us deeply, reminding us of the power of faith in our vulnerability. Each day, a person among the leading crew of the group would speak of the celebrated saint of the day and then give their personal testimony with depth and sincerity. Again and again, we sensed God’s hand guiding and providing, whether through the beauty of creation—indeed we treasure some spectacular photographs—or through the great desire we all felt to seek Jesus’ consoling presence in the liturgy, in the Word of God, in the prayers, and in the others walking along.
How can we forget Arca and the fantastic Eucharist we celebrated there in the beautiful Church of Santa Eulalia with people from all over the world? After that memorable night, in which we sang innumerable popular songs on the terrace of our local restaurant, we were ready to face our last 20 kilometres to the city of the Great Apostle. Some of us made it there running out of enthusiasm, especially as we had to make arrangements for the group coming behind us into the ‘City of the Stars’ (Compostela).
The climax of the pilgrimage came, of course, with our arrival in Santiago. After days of walking, the sight of the cathedral’s spires filled us with awe and gratitude. Entering the square of Obradoiro and kneeling at the tomb of the Apostle were also unforgettable highlights. We intensely prayed then in thanksgiving: for the strength given to walk, for the companionship of our group, for the people that we love, and above all, for ourselves that we might love
the Lord better in our personal lives. To kneel at that sacred place was both humbling and uplifting; a reminder that faith is a journey that requires perseverance, trust, and a community.
Our two days in Santiago were a time of celebration. Finally, there was no more walking and we had what was most desired: our own bedroom! The day after our arrival, we joined hundreds of fellow pilgrims for the Pilgrims’ Mass, lifting our hearts in worship at the pilgrimage’s end. We rejoiced in the friendships that had been forged and the memories created and, most importantly, in placing the last stamp in our beautifully coloured stamp-filled pilgrim passports. Many have them now hanging open on a bedroom wall. There was a lot of laughter, more than one toast every night, and a quiet awareness that something within us had been changed. Pilgrimages usually leave this mark: you return different from when you set out. This is literally true in the case of our group, since one of our couples even got engaged! We were all overjoyed.
As we came home, we carried with us many good feelings. We returned with a renewed sense of gratitude—for the gift of the Church, for the healing beauty of a life that could be lived in simplicity, and for the grace of walking with Christ. The Camino taught us again that the road of faith is not walked alone. Though some of us made this pilgrimage along the Camino Primitivo for the second year in a row, the lessons it offered still surprised us. In some way, our trip to Santiago has become part of daily life. As in the Camino itself, we feel invited by Christ to journey through life with him, keeping our eyes fixed on that destiny which is more appealing than any other: heaven, whose glory can’t be compared with any of the sufferings of this present life.
Our Lady of Walsingham in Santiago de Compostela
This article was originally written by Antonia Moffat for EWTN Great Britain on 23 July 2025.
It was such a joy recently to kneel in prayer before the stunning statue of Our Lady of Walsingham in the Chapel of St John within the great Basilica of Santiago de Compostela. The story of how this statue came to be there is both fascinating and faithfilled. Bernard Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster, had a great desire to send a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham to Santiago de Compostela, to encourage Spanish Catholics to pray for the conversion of England. At the base of the statue, the words are clearly inscribed: ‘Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for England’. This is the same prayer that Martin Gillet had placed on the statue which he gifted to Pope Pius XII.
Cardinal Griffin commissioned the famous Austrian sculptor Pius Dapre, who had previously carved two other statues; one for Pope Pius XII in 1947 and another for Westminster Cathedral in 1954. All three statues were carved from pinewood, uniform in size, but varied in design and colour. The year 1954 was both a Universal Marian Year and a Jubilee Year of St James.
The Compostela statue was blessed on 25 March 1954, the solemnity of the Annunciation, in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Cathedral, following solemn evening Mass. This date was chosen as it is also the patronal feast of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk.
The statue remained in the Lady Chapel for three months, allowing clergy and faithful to venerate it. Towards the end of June, it was sent ahead to Santiago de Compostela in preparation for the great National Pilgrimage from England, whose destination was to be both Santiago de Compostela and Our Lady’s
Shrine in Fatima. Leading the pilgrimage from 23 to 26 July 1954, was Archbishop Godfrey of Liverpool, assisted by Bishop Lucey of Cork and Bishop Craven, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster. The pilgrims included the three bishops, seven clergy and 53 lay pilgrims from across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The pilgrimage aimed to strengthen faith and to intercede for the conversion of peoples and the peace of nations. However, the journey was not without difficulty. A reporter from The Universe described it as a true pilgrimage of penance:
‘A magnetic mine in Boulogne harbour kept the cross-channel boat standing off the port for four hours. The delay caused rail connections to be missed and we did not reach the Spanish border until Thursday afternoon. There to save an hour and a half the train would take to cross the frontier, we walked the 400 yards across the international bridge to continue the journey by bus. The early delay still haunted us and we had to travel through the night, to reach Oviedo at 6.30am on Friday. Four hours only we had for sleep. Then we were on our way again, reaching Compostela in the early hours of Saturday morning. A few hours later we were awakened by fireworks, set off to welcome the columns of marching youth.’
The National Pilgrimage coincided with the arrival of thousands of young Spanish Camino pilgrims who had just completed the National Youth Pilgrimage
on Camino from Vigo. Upon arrival into Santiago, the National Pilgrimage organisers were anxious to find the Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham, which had been sent out by Cardinal Griffin. To their dismay, it was missing! It seemed that a well-meaning Spanish official had locked it away for safekeeping. There was great consternation. Faced with the delay, Archbishop Godfrey was forced to continue on to Fatima, leaving Bishop Craven behind to oversee the finding of the statue. The pilgrims left within an overwhelming shadow of disappointment.
Three days later the statue was found. A beautiful ceremony was arranged and the solemn installation was carried out by Cardinal de Arriba y Castro, the Archbishop of Tarragona in the presence of Bishop Craven. The statue was joyfully processed through the streets surrounding the Basilica of St James, along the tunnelled archways, and into the Praza do Obradoiro, before being carried into the cathedral itself for the inauguration, to the delight of hundreds of pilgrims.
Bishop Craven emphasised the words of prophecy of Cardinal Griffin which he had uttered when blessing the statue for Compostela. He said: ‘The Faith in England will flourish, when the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, is flourishing.’ The bishop especially asked the Spanish clergy and faithful present not to forget the words at the base of the statue, ‘Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for England’, and to remember to pray daily for the conversion of England and its peoples.
We continue to pray. And when you visit Santiago de Compostela, be sure to visit the Chapel of St John and discover Our beloved Lady of Walsingham.
Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for England, pray for us.
Antonia Moffat
Chapter Pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Paris
At 6am on Wednesday 24 September, the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham, 16 Canons of the Metropolitan Chapter of Westminster gathered at St Pancras station, ready to make a day pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Paris via the Eurostar. There was a precedent, as we did this some 12 years ago, when Notre Dame Cathedral celebrated its 850th anniversary, and we wanted to mark that occasion with a fraternal visit. Since then, this historic and iconic symbol of faith, has endured a devastating fire which almost obliterated it. Yet, thanks to the bravery and ingenuity of the Paris Fire Brigade, it has thankfully survived.
We will never forget the utter horror we felt five years ago, as we watched the fire take hold of Notre Dame on news channels across the world. As the smoke came bilging out of the ancient edifice and the famous ‘flèche’ (spire) collapsed, all seemed to be lost. One felt for the Archbishop of Paris, the Archpriest of Notre Dame, and the President of France, as they assembled on the forecourt looking on in a daze. The President promised that it would be restored within five years and that promise has been kept. Money poured in from all around the world, from parishes within our own Diocese and, indeed, from our Chapter as well. Many television documentaries have since followed the reconstruction in minute detail, and we have rejoiced to see the cathedral rise like the phoenix from its ashes and amazingly open to the public in such a short amount of time.
As a Chapter we were keen to make a fraternal visit to our opposite numbers there, and to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving with them. So, on that wonderful day we arrived at the Gare du Nord at 10.30am and immediately made our way to Notre Dame where we made a Profession of Faith near the baptistry. We then embarked on a self-conducted tour before reaching the sacristy where we were warmly welcomed. We were honoured that Mgr Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the RectorArchpriest of Notre Dame, offered to be the main celebrant and preacher, joined by Canon Henry de Villefranche, both Canons of the Paris Metropolitan Chapter. Our own Provost, Canon Shaun Lennard, also read part of the Eucharistic Prayer in very creditable French. We all felt it was a very special liturgical event and we were privileged to be there. A very beautiful touch of prayerful hospitality was that the Mass was celebrated for the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham.
Afterwards in the sacristy presentations were made: our Provost gave a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham to the RectorArchpriest, and the Dean of Westminster Cathedral presented him with some copies of Oremus. Monsignor Olivier presented the Provost and Dean with plaques from the Archbishop of Paris commemorating
the restoration and re-opening of Notre Dame. The care taken over our visit was impressive, given the numbers of visitors who are now making their way to Notre Dame each year. This year alone, it is expected to be 15 million. Our gratitude is also extended to the two Vice Rectors, Fr Olivier Scache and Fr Guillaume Normand, who could not have been more helpful.
Needless to say, after the Mass we repaired to a nearby restaurant for a very convivial French lunch, which then left us with some spare time to enjoy Paris before leaving to catch our train back from the Gare du Nord. We are now hoping that the Dean of the Paris Chapter and the RectorArchpriest of Notre Dame will make a return visit to Westminster Cathedral, and we look forward to reciprocating the same warm hospitality we were given in Paris.
Canon Daniel Cronin
Nicholas Hudson, Bishop-elect of Plymouth
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Right Reverend Nicholas Hudson as the new Bishop of Plymouth.
Ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Southwark in 1986, Bishop Hudson has been an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of St Germans in Cornwall since 2014. On hearing of his appointment, Bishop Hudson, Bishop-elect of Plymouth said:
‘I am deeply grateful to Pope Leo XIV for appointing me; and I do not take lightly the trust he has placed in me. I am aware how long the clergy, religious and laity of Plymouth Diocese have waited for a bishop. I come with a desire to listen and to learn. I hope we can apply all the strengths of synodality to discern together ways to deepen the diocese’s outreach, mission and presence to the people of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. I look forward greatly to meeting all who belong to the diocese.
I ask their prayers for me as I prepare to be their bishop - as I most surely pray for them.’
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said:
‘For the Diocese of Plymouth, the appointment of Bishop Nicholas Hudson to be their bishop is most welcome news. Bishop Hudson will serve the Diocese of Plymouth with great generosity and sensitivity, bringing to that leadership his wide experience of the Church both at home and abroad.
I congratulate Bishop Nicholas on this appointment. He is eager to get started! Here in Westminster, we will miss him very much indeed. I thank him for the true service he has given to the people, the parishes, the priests and to his fellow bishops during his years with us. I assure him of our prayers, support and profound good wishes for his new and important ministry in Plymouth.’
Canon Paul Cummins, Diocesan Administrator, said:
‘In this Jubilee Year of Hope, today's appointment of Bishop Nicholas is an answer to our prayers. Bishop Nicholas is a priest of some 39 years’ experience in parish ministry, seminary and lay formation, diocesan, national and international leadership—this experience, alongside his pastoral gifts will serve him well in leading our diocese. We give thanks to the Holy Father for this appointment and look forward to Bishop Nicholas’ arrival with joy and with hope.’
Archbishop John Wilson, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark, shared his delight about the appointment:
‘I am delighted to hear the joyful news that our Holy Father Pope Leo has appointed Bishop Nicholas Hudson as the next Bishop of Plymouth. Bishop Nicholas brings great experience as a former priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark, Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome, and Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster. His personal gifts and passion for sharing the Gospel of Christ will bring encouragement to the clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful of the Church in Plymouth. As Metropolitan, it is a special pleasure to welcome Bishop Nicholas to the Province. I thank Canon Paul Cummins for his outstanding service as Administrator and join with everyone in the diocese in praying for Bishop Nicholas as he prepares to take up the honour of being their shepherd.’
The date for Bishop Hudson's installation as Diocesan Bishop will be 29 November 2025 at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface, Plymouth.
In retrospect: from the Cathedral Chronicle
Westminster Cathedral Chronicle, November 1925
Wreaths and Chaplets of Long Ago
F.M. Verrall
In this prosaic century, flower wreaths are worn only by brides and their attendants, or by young girls in in feast day processions; whereas, in the past, a chaplet or wreath made of flowers or foliage was a mark of distinction, and by eminent men and women on some occasions.
The wreaths of the Romans and Greeks well known—made of laurel, myrtle, green oak, or palm, for their victors in war or games; the wild olive, dry, or green parsley crowns, given at the Greek games. The Egyptians garlanded their idols and shrines with flowers; even the Hebrews were accustomed to the use of wreaths, for there are references to them in both Old and New Testaments.
‘Let us crown ourselves with roses’ (Wisdom 2.6) is the reasoning of the wicked; while Judith, the famous Jewish heroine, went out to meet the invading general with lilies. On her triumphant return she was met by her countrymen, a wreath of olive was placed on her head, while the men of Israel followed in their armour with garlands.
In early Christian days, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria forbade Christians to wear chaplets of flowers, as the excesses of the flower-crowned guests at heathen banquets were notorious. Wreaths of ivy—a plant always associated with Bacchus—were also forbidden in Church decoration by an early Council.
Our own forefathers, British, Norse, and Saxon, delighted in garlands. The Druids crowned their human victims with oak leaves; a Norse saga tells of gods weaving wreaths with cornears and blue flowers; among the Anglo-Saxons in Christian England both bride and bridegroom were crowned at the close of the marriage ceremony with flowers.
Right down to the end of Tudor times, a favourite bridal wreath was of gilded corn-ears, though laurel (bay) and gilded sprigs of rosemary might be plaited in as well. So important does the bride-wreath appear to have been, that in the churchwardens’ accounts of one old London church is the item: ‘Paid […] for a serclet to marry maydens in, £3 10S […] 26th Sept., 1540.’ This permanent and expensive affair evidently belonged to the church.
In England the most widely-used plants were bay and rosemary, both with sweet-scented evergreen foliage. They were used in church and house decorations, at weddings and at funerals—carried by the guests at the former, and
by the mourners at the latter ceremony; while on the grave itself wreaths of periwinkle—flower of immortality—were sometimes put.
Statues of the saints and the large church candles were not forgotten on feasts, as can be read in certain accounts of ancient parish churches: ‘7d. to be payde for the flowers for the torches on Corpus Christie’s day’; ‘20d. was paid for the garnishing of the torches.’ And elsewhere, every year, ‘A garland of roses was to be sett upon Seynt John’s head.’
Then, as now, garlands of holly and evergreens decorated church and house at Christmastide, but the hawthorn and marsh marigolds of May day are seen no longer, nor are the flower garlands that were hung up over house and stable doors on St John’s Eve, in the blissful but superstitious belief that witches would be driven off for a year.
There was a good deal of curious superstition attached to the wearing of wreaths made of certain potent herbs. Pennyroyal, rosemary, violets, etc., made into, and worn as garlands, would cure headache and malaise, and were reputed sovereign remedies through the Middle Ages.
Westminster Cathedral Chronicle, November 1955
Roman Letter: Cardinal Griffin’s Visit
Nowhere are the members of the English Hierarchy more familiar figures than at the Venerable English College in Rome, and in few places are they more welcome. His Eminence Cardinal Griffin arrived here at a busy time of the year. Still one imagines even the bustle of packing up for the return from the Villa to Rome and then the subsequent stillness of the retreat must recall pleasant memories of his own student days. As he himself said in a speech on the feast of St Edward, he can never feel merely a guest at the College. Certainly in this visit he bore both the rough and the smooth of the retreat, the rough being the silence observed at all meal times, the smooth an incredibly though unconsciously funny biography of Pius IX which was read at dinner and supper. That the Cardinal enjoyed it as much as ourselves we learnt from his speech. On the same occasion he told us of his audience with the Holy Father on the previous day, October 12. I am sure that the interest which he told us the Holy Father showed in the College’s activities was partly inspired by the Cardinal himself, and for this regard for our welfare we are very grateful. We all wish him a safe return to Westminster and offer him the assurance of our prayers.
Benefactors’ Masses
On the first Sunday of each month, a Mass is celebrated for the benefactors of Westminster Cathedral, living and dead. Sunday 2 November 2025, 7pm, Sunday 7 December 2025, 8am, Sunday 4 January 2026, 8am, Sunday 1 February 2026, 7pm, Sunday 1 March 2026, 5.30pm, Sunday 5 April 2026, 12 noon (Easter Day)
2025
The Month of November
The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention For the prevention of suicide
Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.
Saturday 1 November
Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday
Sunday 2 November Ps Week 3 ALL SAINTS
12 noon Solemn Mass attended by the Catenians (Full Choir)
Victoria – Missa O quam gloriosum
Victoria – O quam gloriosum
Byrd – Beati mundo corde
Organ: Toccata (Symphonie improvisée) –Cochereau tr. Filsell
4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction
Bevan – Magnificat sexti toni
Byrd – Iustorum animæ
Organ: Carillon-Sortie – Mulet
4.30pm Mass for the Deaf Community (Cathedral Hall)
Monday 3 November
THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL
DEPARTED (ALL SOULS’ DAY)
Morning liturgies in the Holy Souls Chapel 5pm Vespers of the Dead 5.30pm Requiem Mass
Tuesday 4 November
St Charles Borromeo, Bishop
2pm 102nd Catholic Police Guild
Requiem, offered for all deceased Guild members, Police Officers, and civilian staff. 5.30pm Chapter Mass
Wednesday 5 November Feria
1.15pm Lunchtime Concert
Thursday 6 November Feria
2pm Combined Irish Regiments Service (St Patrick’s Chapel)
Friday 7 November Friday abstinence Feria (St Willibrord, Bishop)
For more information, contact Laura Dudhee, at 020 7798 9058 or email cathedralgiving@rcdow.org.uk
The Cathedral is open from 7.30am and closes in time for 7pm.
Monday to Friday: Morning Prayer 7.35am, Mass 8am, Mass (Latin, unless there is a Funeral) 10.30am, Confessions 11.30-12.30pm, Mass 12.30pm *, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 1.15-4.30pm, Benediction 4.30pm, Confessions 4.30-5.30pm, Sung Vespers 5pm (Latin, Choir, except Tuesday, English, Cantor), Solemn Mass 5.30pm (Choir, Tuesday: Boys’ voices, Wednesday: Men’s voices)
Saturday: Mass 8am, Morning Prayer 10am, Mass 10.30am (Latin, Choir,) Confessions 11.30-12.30pm, Mass 12.30pm *, Confessions 5-6pm, Sung Vespers 5.30pm (English, Cantor), Sung Mass 6pm.
Sunday: Mass 8am, Sung Morning Prayer 9.30am, Sung Mass 10am, Confessions 10.30-12.30pm; Solemn Mass (Choir) 12noon *, Solemn Vespers (Choir) and Benediction 4pm, Confessions 5-6.45pm, Sung Mass 5.30pm, Mass 7pm.
For full opening and closure times of the Cathedral and for confession and service times please consult the Cathedral diary on the website.
* Live streamed via the Cathedral website
Saturday 8 November
Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday 9.30am – 4.30pm A Day with Mary 6pm Westminster Cathedral Junior Voices sings at Mass
Sunday 9 November Ps Week 4
DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA
(REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY)
10am Solemn Requiem for the Fallen (Full Choir)
Duruflé – Requiem
Duruflé – Domine Iesu Christe
Duruflé – Lux æterna
Organ: Aus Tiefer Not Schrei ich zu dir (BWV 686) – J.S. Bach
4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction
Palestrina – Magnificat quarti toni
Palestrina – Tu es petrus
Organ: Carillon-Sortie – Mulet
Monday 10 November
St Leo the Great, Pope; Doctor
Tuesday 11 November
St Martin of Tours, Bishop 5.30pm Thanksgiving Mass for Volunteers
Wednesday 12 November
St Josaphat, Bishop; Martyr 1.15pm Lunchtime Concert
Thursday 13 November Feria
Friday 14 November Friday abstinence Feria
(St Lorcán O’Toole, Bishop) 5.30pm Farewell Mass for Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Bishopelect of Plymouth (Cardinal Nichols)
Saturday 15 November
Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday (St Albert the Great, Bishop; Doctor) 6pm RCIA Rite of Acceptance
Sunday 16 November Ps Week 1
33rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
12 noon Solemn Mass attended by the Knights of St Columba (Full Choir)
Magnus Williamson – Missa tertia Pizzetti – De profundis
Organ: Prelude (Symphonie I) – Vierne
4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction
Victoria – Magnificat septimi toni
Byrd – Infelix ego
Organ: Prélude (Suite Op. 5) – Duruflé
Monday 17 November Feria
(St Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious; St Hilda, Religious; St Hugh of Lincoln, Bishop)
Tuesday 18 November Feria
(The Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss Peter and Paul, Apostles)
4.45pm Chapter Vespers
5.30pm Deceased Clergy Requiem (Cardinal Nichols)
Wednesday 19 November Feria
1.15pm Lunchtime Concert
Thursday 20 November Feria
Friday 21 November Friday abstinence
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday 22 November
St Cecilia, Virgin; Martyr 2pm Jubilee Year Pilgrim Mass 6pm Farewell Mass for Fr John Scott, followed by a Reception in Cathedral Hall
Sunday 23 November Ps Week 2
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir)
Langlais – Messe solennelle
Tye – Omnes gentes plaudite manibus Organ: Fantaisie sur le Te Deum et Guirlandes Alleluiatiques (L’Orgue mystique LI) – Tournemire
4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction
Vivanco – Magnificat octavi toni
Britten – Regis regum rectissimi Organ: Final (Symphonie I) – Vierne
Monday 24 November
St Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Tuesday 25 November Feria
Wednesday 26 November Feria
Thursday 27 November Feria
3pm Irish Chaplaincy Service of Remembrance (St Patrick’s Chapel)
Friday 28 November Friday abstinence Feria
10am The Royal Irish Regiments Service of Remembrance (St Patrick’s Chapel)
Saturday 29 November
Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday 6pm Visiting Choir sings at Mass
Sunday 30 November Ps Week 1
1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT
12 noon Solemn Mass (Full Choir)
Victoria – Missa Alma redemptoris mater
Byrd – Rorate cæli
A. Gabrieli – O sacrum convivium
Organ: Le monde dans l’attente du Sauveur (Symphonie-Passion) – Dupré
4pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction
Victoria – Magnificat octavi toni
Handel – And the glory of the Lord Organ: Wachet auf (BWV 645) – J.S. Bach
Monday 1 December
Advent Feria
7pm Institution of Civil Engineers’ Carol Service
Tuesday 2 December
Advent Feria
2pm Woldingham School Carol Service
5.30pm Chapter Mass
Wednesday 3 December
St Francis Xavier, Priest
COP Migrants’ Day
10.30am Catholic Children’s Society
Advent Service
2pm Catholic Children’s Society Advent Service
Thursday 4 December
Advent Feria
(St John Damascene, Priest; Doctor)
Friday 5 December
Advent Feria
7pm Sankta Lucia Service
Saturday 6 December
Advent Feria
(St Nicolas, Bishop)
2pm Polish Carol Service
Key to the Diary: Saints’ days and holy days written in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS denote Sundays and Solemnities, CAPITAL LETTERS denote Feasts, and those not in capitals denote Memorials, whether optional or otherwise. Memorials in brackets are not celebrated liturgically.
What Happens and When
Catholic Evidence Guild
Clergy House Room 2, Tuesdays 7pm
Catholic Grandparents’ Association
Hinsley Room,
Second Sundays 12-3.30pm
Charismatic Prayer Group
Cathedral Hall, Fridays 6.30-9pm
Divine Mercy Prayer Group
St Patrick’s Chapel, Sundays 1.30-2.30pm
Filipino Club
Cathedral Hall, Second Sunday 1-5pm
Guild of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Mondays 6.15pm
Guild of St Anthony Lady Chapel, Tuesdays 6.15pm
Interfaith Group Hinsley Room, Third Wednesdays 1.30 -3pm
Legion of Mary Hinsley Room, Monday 1.30-3.30pm
Nigerian Catholic Association
Hinsley Room, Fourth Sundays 1.30-2.30pm
Oblates of Westminster Cathedral Hinsley Room, Fourth Sundays 2.30-4pm
Padre Pio Prayer Group
Sacred Heart Church, First Thursdays 1.30-3.30pm
Rosary Group
Lady Chapel, Saturdays 11.15-12.00noon
Walsingham Prayer Group
St George’s Chapel, First Tuesdays 2.30-4pm
Yoruba Association
Hinsley Room, Third Sundays 1.30-3pm
1 Patron Saint of musicians, Feast Day 22 Nov. (7)
6 Moment of time or classification of wine (3)
8 See 20 Down
9 Until the time of St Dominic and his followers, the Rosary was known as ‘Our Lady’s -------’ (7)
10 Henry ----- English sculptor whose works include one in Westminster’s Parliament Square (5)
11 Pagan attempt to communicate with the dead (6)
13 Hilaire ------Catholic writer who contributed the St Christopher statue by the Cathedral baptistry (6)
15 Recipients of a letter from St Paul (6)
17 St Giles the ------, patron Saint of the Disabled (6)
20 Unit of measurement concerning the value of gold (5)
21 Of the Devil (7)
23 St Augustine of -----, Doctor of the Church and preeminent theologian (5)
24 ‘O clemens, O ---, O dulcis’, Salve Regina (3)
25 Dismissive comment about the fruit? (7)
Clues Down 1 Bruckner or Messiaen, for example (8)
2 Country, some of whose WW2 Dead are commemorated near the Lady Chapel (6)
3 One of the seven deadly sins (4)
4 Offer the level of worship that belongs to God alone (5)
5 Uncontrolled rush of many people or animals (8)
6 A casual walk (6)
7 St John Vianney is also known as the ‘---- d’Ars’ (4)
12 National War Memorial in nearby Whitehall (8)
14 A burial place in early Christian times on the outskirts of Rome (8)
16 Sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (6)
18 St ------, the mother of 23 Across (6)
19 Nancy ----- first woman MP who took her seat in Westminster 100 years ago (5)
20 & 8 Across: Overthrow of existing government, usually by force (4,5)
22 ‘Blessed art ---- amongst women’, Hail Mary (4)
The Living Room
Amanda Hill
The kindly light, which Newman saw Pervades his room, dispelling gloom, His treasures still speak ‘cor ad cor’, His books of prayer; his relics rare Can still be found within this door. The stole worn thin with shriving sin, His vestments and the hood he wore; The hat of red, which graced his head, Remain amidst this hallowed store. How those four walls, the soul enthrals Until the heart can take no more, And tribute tear, betrays how dear This priest remains; and I am sure That he still lives, and blessing gives; He is not dead, but gone before.
Written in August 1981, following a visit to Newman’s room.
Newman's rooms at the Birmingham Oratory
The Horse They Led Away
Janet Wilkes
I will not forget the horse they Led away to fields where black smoke Rose in clouds, nor will I forget How he nuzzled me as I stroked His ear and kissed his brow. I will Not forget his hoof marks by the Gate, set deep in winter’s mud, nor His warm horse breath and keening neigh That rent the air the day he left. Things were not the same when he had Gone. The field in which he grazed grew Wild. His stable had an eerie Feel. Thousands were killed that day in France but the horses’ names were not Inscribed on marble rolls as there Were too many that were led away.
To submit a poem whether by yourself or another for consideration, please contact the Editor – details on page 3.
A Kiwi ‘flies’ home
Trevor Koschalka, Head Steward
Michael Langton (1946-2024) was a familiar figure here in Westminster Cathedral. As a founding member of the Guild of St John Southworth in 2013, Michael volunteered as a welcomer and a guide, later helping to steward the larger events held in the Cathedral. He was also the Sacristan at St Mary Moorfields in the City of London, for many years.
Michael had left his native New Zealand after university and came to London with several friends. They were all involved in the early days of IT and they felt there were more development opportunities available in the United Kingdom. He then worked in the Middle East in the oil industry, helping to develop the IT systems there, before returning to London where he lived in Blackheath for several years, before moving to Paddington.
Michael was a non-playing member of Blackheath Rugby Club and was a regular spectator at their home games, and he was always ready to discuss the latest All Blacks game with anyone passing by. He had a great love of architecture and history, particularly military history, with an in-depth knowledge garnered from many years of studying at the London Library. He shared this knowledge conducting tours of the Cathedral where he was equally at home speaking to groups from universities as he was with children from primary schools. He was also deeply passionate about music, and one of the highlights of his year was the summer Promenade Concerts held at the Royal Albert Hall. He not only attended many of the concerts, but was a leading member of the Promenaders Musical Charities, raising large sums for musical charities during the season.
Sadly, Michael’s health began to deteriorate in 2021/22, and he was in and out of hospital on a regular basis. He had also lost his accommodation in Paddington and was living near Romford. Along with his failing health, this meant that he was no longer able to volunteer. However, he was supported by a small group of friends in the last years of his life, particularly by Alan Newman, Algy Keuneman and Fr Chris Vipers who visited him on a regular basis. Michael died in hospital in Ilford on 18 February 2024.
Michael had kept his life compartmentalised, so his groups of friends were unaware of each other’s existence. Through a lot of detective work by Alan Newman, not only were the various groups who had known him brought together, but contact was made with Michael’s family in New Zealand, with whom he had lost touch.
His funeral was held at St Mary Moorfields and concelebrated by Fr (now Canon) Chris Vipers, Canon Peter Newby (former Parish Priest) and Fr Slawomir Witon, Dean of the Cathedral. The church was full with members of the St Mary Moorfields parish, representatives from the Cathedral, the Promenaders charity, and Blackheath Rugby Club who acted as pallbearers. Michael’s family in Auckland attended a Mass said for him the previous Saturday evening.
This however wasn’t the end of Michael’s earthly journey. James Langton, a member of his family, arrived in London in July this year to collect his ashes, which had been kept at St Mary Moorfields. On 13 September, he was finally laid to rest next to his mother in Auckland, which appropriately was the date of the ‘Last Night of the Proms’.
May he rest in peace.
