Archbishop Nichols to Westminster

Archbishop Vincent Nichols has been appointed as the next Archbishop of Westminster, the eleventh since the Restoration of the Hierarchy in 1850. He will be installed on Thursday, 21 May 2009.

Archbishop Nichols is 63 (he was born on 8 November 1945); he was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Liverpool on 21 November 1969, ordained bishop (Auxiliary in Westminster) on 24 January 1992, and appointed Archbishop of Birmingham on 15 February 2000. The usual custom would be for Archbishop Nichols to be created a cardinal once Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor reaches the age of 80 (in 2012) and no longer has the right to vote in a conclave.

Here is a YouTube video posted at the Birmingham Archdiocesan website where the Archbishop speaks about vocations:



Please join me in praying for Archbishop Nichols and for the Church in England and Wales in which he will hold such an important office.

Further information:
Announcement in the Vatican Bollettino (Italian)

Press release from the Catholic Communications Network with quotes from Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor and Archbishop Nicholls.

Catholic Hierarchy page for Archbishop Nichols with dates and episcopal lineage. (Already updated, as is consistent practice for this most helpful resource.)

Archdiocese of Birmingham page for Archbishop Nichols with links to homilies, letters, lectures and talks, statements, videos and podcasts.

(And just to remind you - the surname has only one "L".)

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