The Most Reverend Vincent Gerard Nichols has been installed as the Eleventh Archbishop of Westminster during a Mass of Installation held at Westminster Cathedral, from 12pm noon to 2pm on Thursday 21 May 2009, and attended by a congregation of 2,200 specially invited guests.
Amongst those present at the Mass of Installation were: Lord Guthrie, representing HRH Prince Charles; Rt Hon Paul Murphy representing The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP; The Duke of Norfolk; Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor; Cardinal Sean Brady; Cardinal Roger Mahoney; Cardinal Keith O’Brien; His Excellency, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz; Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York; The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councilor Duncan Sandys; Francis Campbell, the British Ambassador to the Holy See; Sir Gus O' Donnell, Head of the Cabinet Office; 50 Catholic Bishops Including Rt Rev Michael Campbell OSA (Bishop of Lancaster) and Rt Rev Patrick O'Donoghue ( Emeritus Bishop of Lancaster); over 500 priests from the Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Diocese of Westminster together with MPs, Peers, Ambassadors and representatives of parishes, schools and Catholic societies and organisations.
The Mass of Installation was broadcast live in the UK on BBC2 and also around the world by EWTN, the Catholic Satellite Television Channel.
The Mass of Installation followed a Service of Solemn Vespers, which was held at Westminster Cathedral at 7pm on Wednesday 20th May. This was attended by Archbishop Vincent Nichols and an estimated 2,000 specially invited guests including Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests and representatives from schools, parishes and Catholic societies and organisations from the Diocese of Westminster.
The ceremony of the Reception and Installation of the Archbishop of Westminster was carried out according to the ancient Catholic rite used in similar circumstances for the Reception and Installation of the Archbishops of Canterbury prior to the Reformation.
At 12 noon, to the sound of a specially composed fanfare, Archbishop Vincent Nichols entered Westminster Cathedral by the main West Door, and was greeted by the Provost of Westminster Cathedral, Canon Michael Brockie. He then processed to the High Altar where he joined over 150 Clergy in the Cathedral’s Sanctuary, including Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, 50 Catholic Bishops, the Provost and Chapter of Westminster Cathedral, Deans and the Vicar General of the Diocese of Westminster, Monsignori and ecumenical guests including Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Most Reverend Vincent Gerard Nichols officially become the 11th Archbishop of Westminster at around 12.15 pm after the reading aloud of Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter of Authority, or Papal Mandate, by Bishop John Arnold, Chancellor of the Diocese of Westminster, and the formula of Installation by the Provost of Westminster Cathedral, Canon Michael Brockie.
The Archbishop-Emeritus, His Eminence Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor then presented the new Archbishop with the Crozier, the bishop’s staff, symbolic of his office as bishop. The Provost and Canons of the Metropolitan Chapter then greeted the new Archbishop, followed by other representatives of the Diocesan clergy, ethnic chaplaincies, pastoral and administrative bodies.
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