Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Richard Moth as the new Archbishop of Westminster. Bishop Moth, currently serving as the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton since 2015, will succeed Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who recently turned 80. Moth, 67, is expected to become the most prominent Catholic leader in the U.K. and likely the chairman of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. The appointment may have been influenced by Moth's reputation as an efficient manager, his ecclesiastical experience, and his focus on social justice issues. Moth was born in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia) in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1982 for the Archdiocese of Southwark.
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Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Richard Moth, 67, as the new Archbishop of Westminster on December 19, 2025, succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols, 80, who retires after leading the archdiocese since 2009.1 2 3
Moth, previously Bishop of Arundel and Brighton since 2015, will be installed at Westminster Cathedral on February 14, 2026.3 4 5
Nichols will serve as apostolic administrator until installation.5
Born July 8, 1958, in Chingola, Zambia, Moth was raised in Kent, England, as an only child.1 4 5
He discerned a priesthood vocation young, trained at St. John’s Seminary, Wonersh, and was ordained for Southwark Archdiocese in 1982.2 3 4
Moth studied canon law in Ottawa and held roles including judicial vicar, private secretary to Archbishop Michael Bowen, vicar general, and chancellor of Southwark.2 4 5
Appointed Bishop of the Forces in 2009 by Benedict XVI, Moth served until 2015, supporting troops including in Afghanistan.1 3 4 6
As Arundel and Brighton bishop, he chaired the bishops’ conference social justice department, covering life issues, marriage, and mental health.4 5 6
He is liaison bishop for prisons, advocating reform and worship access, and chairs St. Mary’s University governors and The Plater Trust.4 5 6
Moth is a Benedictine oblate of Pluscarden Abbey and enjoys horse riding, like Pope Leo XIV.3 4 6
The appointment signals Pope Leo XIV's push for younger leaders, following New York’s Archbishop Ronald Hicks and enforcing the 75-year retirement norm more strictly.1
Westminster, serving 450,000 Catholics north of the Thames, demands strong clergy support amid declining vocations.4
Moth, seen as a capable administrator with establishment ties and social justice focus, may lead the bishops’ conference and become cardinal.4 5
He opposed assisted suicide and COVID healthcare rationing targeting disabled people.4 6
Moth expressed gratitude for Leo XIV's trust, prioritizing knowing Westminster's priests and faithful while building on foundations.3 5
Nichols welcomed Moth's "gifts and considerable episcopal experience," recalling his 2009 ordination.5 6
Observers praise Moth as doctrinally sound, sympathetic to traditional liturgy, genial, and hardworking.4 5
Leo XIV also named Father Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez to Palm Beach, Florida, succeeding Bishop Gerald Barbarito.1
Assess canon law’s age limits for episcopal retirement
Canon law establishes that diocesan bishops reaching the age of 75 are requested to submit their resignation to the Pope, who evaluates all circumstances before deciding. This norm, introduced post-Vatican II, balances the need for effective pastoral leadership with recognition of human limitations, while allowing papal discretion. Subsequent updates by Pope Francis emphasize flexibility, permitting extensions for grave reasons like completing key Church projects. However, theological reflections question whether such age-based requests align fully with the lifelong, Cross-marked nature of episcopal ministry as a diakonia or service of love.
The foundation for episcopal retirement norms traces to the Second Vatican Council's Christus Dominus (1965), which earnestly requested that diocesan bishops, upon becoming less capable due to age or serious reasons, offer their resignation either voluntarily or at the invitation of competent authority. This marked a shift toward structured transitions, ensuring suitable support and rights for resigning bishops while prioritizing the flock's needs.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law codified this in Can. 401 §1, stating: "A diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances." §2 extends the request to cases of ill health or grave cause. These provisions reflect Vatican II's emphasis on bishops as true shepherds (praelati) governing in their own right, not mere vicars of the Pope (Lumen Gentium §27), yet they introduce a canonical mechanism implying some oversight by Rome.
Pope Francis refined these in his 2014 Rescriptum ex audientia and 2018 Motu Proprio "Learn to take your leave", clarifying procedures. Article 1 invites diocesan, eparchial, coadjutor, auxiliary bishops, and equivalents to present resignations at 75. Article 2 mandates the same for non-Cardinal Roman Curia heads and certain papal appointees, without automatic cessation of office. The Motu Proprio allows the Pope to extend service beyond 75 for reasons such as finishing fruitful projects, ensuring continuity, or aiding transitions—examples underscoring pastoral pragmatism over rigid timelines.
These ensure dioceses have vigorous leadership, presuming diminished capacity at 75, while honoring experience.
While practical, these norms spark theological debate, particularly from Emeka Nwosuh, O.P., who argues they reflect pre-Vatican II views of bishops as papal subordinates—a mentality Vatican II corrected. Why mandate diocesan resignations at 75 but impose no age limit on the Pope, who shares the "single episcopal ministry" (Lumen Gentium §22)?
Nwosuh frames episcopal office as indelible diakonia—a service unto death, akin to priesthood, where priests continue sacramental ministry despite age. Bishops, ordained for shepherding (teaching, sanctifying, governing; Lumen Gentium §20), cannot fully "retire" from this threefold essence without ceasing their core identity. Canon 401 focuses on the "horizontal" Cross dimension (bishop-flock fitness) but neglects the "vertical" (bishop-Christ dialogue), risking legislation over personal vocation. Resignation, even if capable, questions whether law can dictate cessation of Christ's entrustment.
This echoes reactions to Pope Benedict XVI's 2013 resignation, contrasting with St. John Paul II's endurance: "one doesn't come down from the cross." Yet Benedict's act, valid per Can. 332 §2, does not normatize routine exits, preserving papal/episcopal tenure as open-ended diakonia.
Canon law's age limits serve the Church's good by promoting renewal and accountability, rooted in conciliar wisdom and papal prudence. Flexibility under Francis mitigates rigidity, allowing discernment. Nonetheless, critiques highlight tensions: norms risk reducing ministry to "office" over sacramentally lifelong service, urging bishops to prayerfully assess capacity in Christocentric freedom. No source mandates automatic retirement; all emphasize request and papal judgment.
In sum, these provisions prudently address human frailty while inviting fidelity to the Cross-shaped vocation, where age limits guide but do not bind the Good Shepherd's voice.