England: New Archbishop of Westminster Announced

Posted on: February 24, 2000 4:56 PM

Related Categories: England

The new Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster was announced at a press conferences on 15 February 2000. The new Archbishop is the current Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

The position had been vacant since June 1999 following the death of Cardinal Basil Hume, who had been Archbishop of Westminster since 1976.

"Although I am not as young as I was when I first became a bishop," said Archbishop-elect Murphy-O'Connor who is 67, "I now undertake this new task with equal willingness, encouraged as I know I will be by the good wishes and prayers of so very many people."

The Most Revd Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has been co-chairman of the Anglican and Roman Catholic International Commission since 1982, and is well known to many in the Anglican Communion. He was recently awarded a Doctorate in Divinity by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, in recognition of all his work for ecumenism.

"I am delighted to learn of the appointment of Bishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor," said Dr Carey. "I have come to know [him] well, and regard [him] with great esteem."

"The Anglican Communion has a true friend in the new Archbishop," said Canon David Hamid, Director of Ecumenical Affairs for the Anglican Communion Office. "Throughout the years he served as the Roman Catholic Co-chairman of ARCIC, Bishop Cormac Murphy O'Connor has come to know and understand us at a very deep level and he will bring to his new office a lively commitment to the search for full ecclesial unity."

Details of the installation service at Westminster Cathedral will be announced shortly.

Historically, the Diocese of Westminster was considered the primary Roman Catholic diocese in England and Wales. This status is not official, although in recent years Archbishops of Westminster have been elected as President of the Bishops' Conference. Cardinal Hume was appointed Archbishop in 1976, and elected President in 1979, a position he held until his death. The current President of the Bishop's Conference in England and Wales is Archbishop Michael Bowen of Southwark.