Vincent Gerard Nichols
Encyclopedia
Vincent Gerard Nichols is the Archbishop of Westminster
, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
, and head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. He previously served as Archbishop of Birmingham
from 2000 to 2009.
, Lancashire
(now Merseyside
), to Henry Joseph and Mary (née Russell) Nichols; his parents were teacher
s. As a child he wanted to be a lorry
driver, but felt a calling to the priesthood
as a teenager.
He attended St. Mary's College in Crosby from 1956 to 1963. From St. Mary's he entered the Venerable English College
in Rome
. He was ordained
for the Archdiocese of Liverpool on 21 December 1969. He obtained the degree of Licentiate of Sacred Theology
from the Pontifical Gregorian University
in 1970.
Upon his return to England
, Nichols studied at the University of Manchester
for a year and earned a M.A. in Theology
in 1971, specializing in the theology
of St. John Fisher
. He then served as assistant pastor
at St. Mary's Church, Wigan
, as well as chaplain to the St. John Rigby sixth form college, Orrell
, and St. Peter's High School, Wigan.
He received a Master's in Education
from Loyola University Chicago
in 1974, and was assigned to St. Anne's Church in Edge Hill in 1975. Father Nichols spent a total of 14 years in the Liverpool archdiocese. In 1980, he was appointed director
of the Upholland
Northern Institute. He also sat on the archiepiscopal
council.
Nichols served as General Secretary
of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
from 1984 to 1993. In addition to his role within the CBCEW, he was moderator of the Steering Committee of the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland
from 1989 to 1996. He was chair of the Catholic Education Service
since 1998.
of Westminster
and Titular Bishop
of Othona by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on 24 January 1992 from Cardinal Basil Hume, OSB
, with Archbishop Derek Worlock and Bishop Alan Clark
serving as co-consecrators
, at Westminster Cathedral
.
At the age of 46, he was the youngest Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: Fortis Ut Mors Dilectio, meaning, "Love Is Strong As Death" .
As an auxiliary, Nichols served as vicar
for North London
. He was appointed to the finance advisory committee of the National Catholic Fund in 1994 and to the CBCEW's Committee for the Roman Colleges in 1995, and became Episcopal Liaison of the CBCEW for the National Conference of Diocesan Financial Secreatries in 1996.
In 1998, he was made chairman
of the CBCEW Department for Catholic Education and Formation, as well as chairman of the Catholic Education Service
. Nichols represented the Europe
an bishops at the November 1998 Synod of Bishops
from Oceania
, and was a special secretary
at the Synod of Bishops for Europe in September 1999. He presided over the burial of Cardinal Hume in 1999.
Nichols was named the eighth Archbishop of Birmingham
on 15 February 2000. Succeeding the French
-born Maurice Couve de Murville
, he was installed
as Archbishop on the following 29 March. Prior to his appointment to Birmingham, he had been considered a leading contender to replace the late Cardinal Hume as Archbishop of Westminster
; the position ultimately went to Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
In 2001, Archbishop Nichols became chairman of the management board of the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults. He is also a patron of the International Young Leaders Network based at Blackfriars, Oxford
. In 2008, he was named President of the Commission for Schools, Universities, and Catechesis in the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe. He is lead episcopal trustee of the three English seminaries outside the United Kingdom - The Royal English College, Valladolid
, as well as the Collega Beda and the Venerable English Colleges in Rome. He is assisted in this role by two further episcopal trustees - Bishop Arthur Roche
of Leeds and Bishop Mark Jabalé
of Menevia. He undertakes at least one "visitation" to each of these seminaries in each academic year.
He provided the commentary for the BBC
's coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II
in 2005.
By virtue of his status as ordinary
of the Birmingham diocese, Nichols was Chairman of the Governing Body of Newman University College
. Nichols has been an advocate of the cause of canonisation for Cardinal John Henry Newman. Nichols oversaw the attempted removal of Newman's remains from his grave in Worcestershire to the Oratory in Birmingham city centre in 2008, however on the opening of the grave no human remains were recoverable.
Nichols wrote two books: Promise of Future Glory and Missioners; and had the inspiration for the "Walk with Me" programme, which sought to bring people together in spiritual accompaniment through the seasons of the Church’s year. The initiative later spread to other dioceses.
His coat of arms includes a blue wavy band on a silver shield to represent the River Mersey
, scallop shells to represent the Venerable English College in Rome, the red rose of Lancashire, and anchors representing Liverpool: surmounted by the customary green galero
(ecclesiastical hat) with twenty green cords and tassels (for an archbishop).
by Pope Benedict XVI
on 3 April 2009, and solemnly installed on 21 May 2009. The archdiocese, the primatial
see of the Church in England and Wales, serves 472,600 Catholics. It was reported that Benedict XVI personally selected Nichols for the post after the Congregation for Bishops
failed to reach a consensus.
In the time leading up to the appointment, Nichols' name had been repeatedly mentioned as a possible successor to Murphy-O'Connor, and his name was the only one to be on both ternas
, or shortlist of candidates submitted to the Congregation for Bishops. A group of English Catholic bishops, as well as a Member of Parliament
, had even expressed their concerns of promoting Nichols to Westminster to the Apostolic Nuncio
, Faustino Sainz Muñoz
, citing the Archbishop's ambition.
In his decision to accept the "daunting" role of Archbishop of Westminster, Nichols said he "just swallowed hard and said 'yes.'"
He succeeded Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2007. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor described his successor as "competent, compassionate, and experienced."
Given the fact that his ten immediate predecessors in Westminster received the red hat
, Nichols himself is expected to be elevated to the College of Cardinals
sometime after 2012, when Murphy-O'Connor will reach the age of 80 and no longer be able to participate in a papal conclave
.
As expected, Nichols was elected President
of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
by unanimous acclamation on 30 April 2009.
He received the pallium
from Pope Benedict XVI
in Rome on 29 June 2009, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
.
, Nichols was seen by some as having moved to more conservative
positions. Some have suggested this was the result of advice early in his career from Archbishop Worlock to make himself more "Vatican-friendly" if he was to get ahead in the Church hierarchy. In recent years, he has been vocal in defending the public reputation of the Catholic Church. This included criticism of the BBC for what he called "biased and hostile" programming, which contributed to the decision by the BBC not to show the animated sitcom Popetown
, which he claimed could give offence to some Catholics.
In August 2010 Archbishop Nichols expressed support for the echoes of Catholic teaching emerging in the language of the new Coalition Government
. In particular, he is enthusiastic at the opportunities offered by Mr Cameron’s call for a Big Society. Nichols said that “It gives us an experience of being together in a place that turns things on their head a bit,”. He expressed excitement at the potential for the Coalition and reveals he had become disillusioned with the Labour administration. “The last government was too overarching. In attempting to create a state that provided everything, it ended up losing touch with the people it was trying to serve.” In April 2011, however, he was critical about the effectiveness of the Big Society, saying, "It is all very well to deliver speeches about the need for greater voluntary activity, but there needs to be some practical solutions. The Big Society [...] has no teeth [...] and should not be used as a cloak for masking central cuts"
cases that were alleged in that diocese.
Among his first public acts in his role as Archbishop of Westminster was a statement on the issue of clerical physical
and sexual abuse in Ireland
following a government report into the running of industrial schools
. In his own words: "Every time there is a single incident of abuse in the Catholic Church it is a scandal. And I'm glad it's a scandal." He was, however criticised widely on the issue of priests facing up to their crimes, where he claimed, "That takes courage, and also we shouldn't forget that this account today will also overshadow all of the good that they also did."
.
In 2004, he prominently intervened in an argument pitching religious offence against artistic freedom when he criticised Birmingham Repertory Theatre for showing the play Behzti
(Dishonour), which depicted scenes of sexual abuse and murder in a Sikh temple. He argued that the Sikh community had acted in a "reasonable and measured way" in representing their concerns. "Such a deliberate, even if fictional, violation of the sacred place of the Sikh religion demeans the sacred places of every religion. People of all faiths, therefore, will be offended by this presentation."
In March 2009, he allowed the Catholic chapel at a Roman Catholic college in Birmingham to be used for the commemoration of the birth of the Islam
ic prophet
Muhammad
with interfaith debate in the college chapel, sparking some local controversy. Nichols defended the location of the celebration, saying through his spokesman, "Christian/Muslim dialogue is an important part of the Catholic Church's agenda."
In November 2009, he "offered flowers at the altar to the deities" during a visit to the Hindu Temple in Neasden. When the action occasioned press comment, details of the episode were removed from the Archdiocese of Westminster's website.
and Archbishop Joseph DiNoia held a press conference in which they announced that Pope Benedict XVI was preparing to release an apostolic constitution
that would allow Anglicans, both laity and clergy, to join the Catholic Church in groups and maintain their corporate identity in new Personal Ordinariates for former Anglicans entering the Roman Catholic Church
A joint statement on the new protocol from Archbishop
Vincent Nichols of Westminster
and the Anglican Communion's head, Archbishop Rowan Williams
of Canterbury, was issued at the same time in London. The joint statement claimed that the development reflected "substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition" and affirmed "on-going official dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion", including the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).
However, Canon Giles Fraser, an Anglican Canon of St Paul's Cathedral, preaching at an ecumenical service at Archbishop Nichols' own Roman Catholic Cathedral in Westminster, suggested "...there are some – and indeed in both churches – who do not see it like this at all. For from the Anglican perspective, this new invitation to swim the Tiber can sometimes have a slightly predatory feel; in corporate terms, a little like a take over bid in some broader power play of church politics."
interview that he would not oppose adoption by a gay person that was single. Mary Ann Sieghart
, a Catholic journalist, commenting for The Times on Nichols' statements on the subject, observed that "had the Catholic position been more hardline, it might have stood more of a chance. But once Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Birmingham
, admitted on Tuesday's Newsnight
that his agencies were happy to place children with single gay people, but not couples, his argument fell apart. Surely two parents are better than one? If single homosexuals are acceptable, why not a couple committed to each other?"
On 10 April 2009, Nichols appeared to shrug off calls by former Prime Minister
and Catholic convert Tony Blair
, who had suggested the Church change its views on
homosexuality
. Archbishop Nichols responded by saying, "I am afraid the way the Catholic Church thinks is rather different to [Blair's thinking] and...I will take my guide from Pope Benedict actually."
In an interview in July 2010, Nichols responded in an ambivalent fashion to a question posed by BBC
journalist Stephen Sackur
on whether the Catholic Church might one day recognise gay unions
. The exchange began with Sackur considering the situation in the Church of England
:
This uncertainty about whether the Church might come to approve of homosexual relations in future was restated in an interview with the Daily Telegraph published in September 2010. Asked whether the Church should one day accept the reality of gay partnerships, Archbishop Nichols responded by saying, "I don't know", going on to contend - in the words of his interviewer - that "the old language – of mortal sin, for example – was... a misguided attempt to motivate the faithful."
Following the papal visit of September 2010, Nichols participated in a BBC discussion in which he stated, on the subject of the English and Welsh bishops' attitude to homosexual civil partnerships: "In this country we were very nuanced. We did not oppose gay civil partnerships. We recognized that in English law there might be a case for those. What we persistently said, is that these are not the same as marriage." The 2005 document outlining the English and Welsh bishops' stance with respect to civil partnerships was subsequently revealed to have been rejected when submitted for review to authorities in the Vatican.
Nichols has refused to criticise masses being held in the London parish of Soho
, organised by way of special provision for a community of people of a same-sex orientation. In a direct response to protestors he said, "anybody who is trying to cast a judgement on the people who come forward for communion really ought to learn to hold their tongue". Critics such as William Oddie, a former editor of the Catholic Herald, have argued that "whole ethos of the Soho Masses is a committed denial of [Catholic teaching on homosexuality], a denial in which they are encouraged by the Archdiocese of Westminster".
In July 2011, the Archdiocese of Westminster agreed to host a conference in its diocesan pastoral centre (All Saints, London Colney
) for an organisation called Quest, which describes itself as aimed at gay people "seeking ways of reconciling the full practice of their Catholic faith with the full expression of their homosexual natures in loving Christian relationships".
Alan Johnson
's plan to introduce a quota for non-Catholic pupils at Catholic schools as "insulting", "divisive", and "ill thought-out, unworkable and contradictory of empirical evidence". He mobilized over 2,000 Catholic school headteachers in his campaign and the plan was eventually dropped.
In August 2009, he warned that in his view the overuse by young people of online social networking websites (such as Facebook
and MySpace
) encouraged teenagers to build "transient relationships" that can leave them traumatised and even suicidal when they collapse: "We're losing some of the ability to build interpersonal communication that's necessary for living together and building a community."
are supporting a petition to stop the owners of a London pub changing its name. "The Cardinal", near Westminster Cathedral, is due to be renamed "The Windsor Castle" when it reopens after refurbishment. More than 150 people have signed the petition since it was started on 5 April 2011 by the Independent Catholic News newspaper. The pub was named after a former Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Henry Edward Manning. Nichols said that although the pub was originally called The Windsor Castle, the name The Cardinal has a better historical connection to the area and that "The reason why it was changed was because of the great impact that Cardinal Manning had on the life of London".
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in England. The archdiocese consists of all the London boroughs north of the River Thames and west of the River Lea, together with the towns southwest of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames and...
, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is the episcopal conference of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.-About:...
, and head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. He previously served as Archbishop of Birmingham
Archbishop of Birmingham
The Archbishop of Birmingham heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Birmingham....
from 2000 to 2009.
Early life and ministry
Vincent Nichols was born in CrosbyCrosby, Merseyside
Crosby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. Historically part of Lancashire it is situated north of Bootle, south of Southport, Formby and west of Netherton-History:...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
(now Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
), to Henry Joseph and Mary (née Russell) Nichols; his parents were teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s. As a child he wanted to be a lorry
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
driver, but felt a calling to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
as a teenager.
He attended St. Mary's College in Crosby from 1956 to 1963. From St. Mary's he entered the Venerable English College
Venerable English College, Rome
The Venerable English College, commonly referred to as the English College, is a Roman Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for England and Wales...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
for the Archdiocese of Liverpool on 21 December 1969. He obtained the degree of Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
from the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in 1970.
Upon his return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Nichols studied at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
for a year and earned a M.A. in Theology
Master of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
in 1971, specializing in the theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
of St. John Fisher
John Fisher
Saint John Fisher was an English Roman Catholic scholastic, bishop, cardinal and martyr. He shares his feast day with Saint Thomas More on 22 June in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints and 6 July on the Church of England calendar of saints...
. He then served as assistant pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Mary's Church, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, as well as chaplain to the St. John Rigby sixth form college, Orrell
Orrell, Greater Manchester
Orrell is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The area is contiguous to the town of Wigan itself and the centre of the district is situated to the west of the town centre...
, and St. Peter's High School, Wigan.
He received a Master's in Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
from Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
in 1974, and was assigned to St. Anne's Church in Edge Hill in 1975. Father Nichols spent a total of 14 years in the Liverpool archdiocese. In 1980, he was appointed director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Upholland
Upholland
Upholland is a civil parish and village in West Lancashire, England. It is situated approximately 3 miles east of Skelmersdale, also in West Lancashire, and 4½ miles west of Wigan in Greater Manchester.-Geography:...
Northern Institute. He also sat on the archiepiscopal
Archbishop of Liverpool
The Archbishop of Liverpool heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
council.
Nichols served as General Secretary
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is the episcopal conference of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.-About:...
from 1984 to 1993. In addition to his role within the CBCEW, he was moderator of the Steering Committee of the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland is an ecumenical organisation. The members include most of the major churches in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It was formerly known as the Council of Churches of Britain and Ireland...
from 1989 to 1996. He was chair of the Catholic Education Service
Catholic Education Service
The Catholic Education Service is an agency of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales and a member of the Bishops’ Department for Catholic Education and Formation. CESEW’s mission is to promote and support Catholic education...
since 1998.
Episcopal career
On 5 November 1991, Nichols was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Westminster
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in England. The archdiocese consists of all the London boroughs north of the River Thames and west of the River Lea, together with the towns southwest of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames and...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Othona by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 24 January 1992 from Cardinal Basil Hume, OSB
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
, with Archbishop Derek Worlock and Bishop Alan Clark
Alan Charles Clark
Alan Charles Clark was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of East Anglia in the Ecclesiastical Province of Westminster, England.-Early life:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
.
At the age of 46, he was the youngest Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: Fortis Ut Mors Dilectio, meaning, "Love Is Strong As Death" .
As an auxiliary, Nichols served as vicar
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
for North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. He was appointed to the finance advisory committee of the National Catholic Fund in 1994 and to the CBCEW's Committee for the Roman Colleges in 1995, and became Episcopal Liaison of the CBCEW for the National Conference of Diocesan Financial Secreatries in 1996.
In 1998, he was made chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the CBCEW Department for Catholic Education and Formation, as well as chairman of the Catholic Education Service
Catholic Education Service
The Catholic Education Service is an agency of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales and a member of the Bishops’ Department for Catholic Education and Formation. CESEW’s mission is to promote and support Catholic education...
. Nichols represented the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an bishops at the November 1998 Synod of Bishops
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
from Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, and was a special secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
at the Synod of Bishops for Europe in September 1999. He presided over the burial of Cardinal Hume in 1999.
Archbishop of Birmingham
Archbishop of Birmingham
The Archbishop of Birmingham heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Birmingham....
on 15 February 2000. Succeeding the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Maurice Couve de Murville
Maurice Noël Léon Couve de Murville
Maurice Noël Léon Couve de Murville was the seventh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham from 25 March 1982 until his retirement on 12 June 1999, having formerly been a priest of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton and chaplain of Fisher House, Cambridge.-Early career and priesthood:Maurice...
, he was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
as Archbishop on the following 29 March. Prior to his appointment to Birmingham, he had been considered a leading contender to replace the late Cardinal Hume as Archbishop of Westminster
Archbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
; the position ultimately went to Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
In 2001, Archbishop Nichols became chairman of the management board of the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults. He is also a patron of the International Young Leaders Network based at Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford houses three distinct institutions: the Priory of the Holy Spirit, the religious house of the friars, whose current prior is John O'Connor OP; Blackfriars Studium, the centre of Theological studies of the English Province of the Dominican Friars ; and Blackfriars...
. In 2008, he was named President of the Commission for Schools, Universities, and Catechesis in the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe. He is lead episcopal trustee of the three English seminaries outside the United Kingdom - The Royal English College, Valladolid
English College, Valladolid
The Royal English and Welsh College, Valladolid, under the patronage of St Alban, was founded in 1589 during the protestant reformation for the training of Catholic priests for the English and Welsh Mission....
, as well as the Collega Beda and the Venerable English Colleges in Rome. He is assisted in this role by two further episcopal trustees - Bishop Arthur Roche
Arthur Roche
Arthur Roche is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Bishop of Leeds.-Early life and ministry:...
of Leeds and Bishop Mark Jabalé
John Mark Jabalé
John Mark Jabalé, OSB is the Bishop Emeritus of Menevia. He was installed as bishop on 12 June 2001. Prior to appointment as Ordinary of the Diocese, he had been abbot in Belmont Abbey during 1993-2000, and then coadjutor bishop from 7 December 2000...
of Menevia. He undertakes at least one "visitation" to each of these seminaries in each academic year.
He provided the commentary for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II
Funeral of Pope John Paul II
The funeral of Pope John Paul II was held on 8 April 2005, six days after his death on 2 April. The funeral was followed by the novemdiales devotional in which the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches observe nine days of mourning....
in 2005.
By virtue of his status as ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the Birmingham diocese, Nichols was Chairman of the Governing Body of Newman University College
Newman University College
Newman University College is a university college offering academic degrees and teacher training in Birmingham, England.Known as Newman College of Higher Education until January 2008, it has the highest employment of graduates rate of UK universities and is in the top 25% of UK universities for...
. Nichols has been an advocate of the cause of canonisation for Cardinal John Henry Newman. Nichols oversaw the attempted removal of Newman's remains from his grave in Worcestershire to the Oratory in Birmingham city centre in 2008, however on the opening of the grave no human remains were recoverable.
Nichols wrote two books: Promise of Future Glory and Missioners; and had the inspiration for the "Walk with Me" programme, which sought to bring people together in spiritual accompaniment through the seasons of the Church’s year. The initiative later spread to other dioceses.
His coat of arms includes a blue wavy band on a silver shield to represent the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
, scallop shells to represent the Venerable English College in Rome, the red rose of Lancashire, and anchors representing Liverpool: surmounted by the customary green galero
Galero
A galero in the Catholic Church is a large, broad-brimmed tasseled hat worn by clergy. Over the centuries the galero was eventually limited in use to individual cardinals as a crown symbolizing the title of Prince of the Church...
(ecclesiastical hat) with twenty green cords and tassels (for an archbishop).
Archbishop of Westminster
Nichols was appointed the eleventh Archbishop of WestminsterArchbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on 3 April 2009, and solemnly installed on 21 May 2009. The archdiocese, the primatial
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
see of the Church in England and Wales, serves 472,600 Catholics. It was reported that Benedict XVI personally selected Nichols for the post after the Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
failed to reach a consensus.
In the time leading up to the appointment, Nichols' name had been repeatedly mentioned as a possible successor to Murphy-O'Connor, and his name was the only one to be on both ternas
Appointment of Catholic bishops
The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...
, or shortlist of candidates submitted to the Congregation for Bishops. A group of English Catholic bishops, as well as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, had even expressed their concerns of promoting Nichols to Westminster to the Apostolic Nuncio
Nunciature to Great Britain
The Nunciature to Great Britain is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature is located...
, Faustino Sainz Muñoz
Faustino Sainz Muñoz
Faustino Sainz Muñoz is a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Nuncio to Great Britain from 2004 until December 2010, having been appointed by Pope John Paul II in 2004.-Biography:...
, citing the Archbishop's ambition.
In his decision to accept the "daunting" role of Archbishop of Westminster, Nichols said he "just swallowed hard and said 'yes.'"
He succeeded Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2007. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor described his successor as "competent, compassionate, and experienced."
Given the fact that his ten immediate predecessors in Westminster received the red hat
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, Nichols himself is expected to be elevated to the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
sometime after 2012, when Murphy-O'Connor will reach the age of 80 and no longer be able to participate in a papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
.
As expected, Nichols was elected President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is the episcopal conference of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.-About:...
by unanimous acclamation on 30 April 2009.
He received the pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
from Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in Rome on 29 June 2009, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
.
Views
Once considered to be liberalLiberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
, Nichols was seen by some as having moved to more conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
positions. Some have suggested this was the result of advice early in his career from Archbishop Worlock to make himself more "Vatican-friendly" if he was to get ahead in the Church hierarchy. In recent years, he has been vocal in defending the public reputation of the Catholic Church. This included criticism of the BBC for what he called "biased and hostile" programming, which contributed to the decision by the BBC not to show the animated sitcom Popetown
Popetown
Popetown is a controversial animated sitcom, billed by its producers as "Father Ted meets South Park", following the doodles and scribblings of a student at school during a lesson. His drawings depict the life of Father Nicholas, who lives in a Vatican City parody referred to as "Popetown"...
, which he claimed could give offence to some Catholics.
In August 2010 Archbishop Nichols expressed support for the echoes of Catholic teaching emerging in the language of the new Coalition Government
Cameron Ministry
David Cameron is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government after the resignation as Prime Minister of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. Leading a coalition government formed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the coalition...
. In particular, he is enthusiastic at the opportunities offered by Mr Cameron’s call for a Big Society. Nichols said that “It gives us an experience of being together in a place that turns things on their head a bit,”. He expressed excitement at the potential for the Coalition and reveals he had become disillusioned with the Labour administration. “The last government was too overarching. In attempting to create a state that provided everything, it ended up losing touch with the people it was trying to serve.” In April 2011, however, he was critical about the effectiveness of the Big Society, saying, "It is all very well to deliver speeches about the need for greater voluntary activity, but there needs to be some practical solutions. The Big Society [...] has no teeth [...] and should not be used as a cloak for masking central cuts"
Church child abuse scandal
While he was the bishop of Birmingham, he had to respond to the sexual abuseSexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
cases that were alleged in that diocese.
Among his first public acts in his role as Archbishop of Westminster was a statement on the issue of clerical physical
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
and sexual abuse in Ireland
Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland
The Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland is a major chapter in the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse scandal. Unlike the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States, the scandal in Ireland included cases of high-profile Catholic clerics involved in illicit heterosexual relations as well as...
following a government report into the running of industrial schools
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
. In his own words: "Every time there is a single incident of abuse in the Catholic Church it is a scandal. And I'm glad it's a scandal." He was, however criticised widely on the issue of priests facing up to their crimes, where he claimed, "That takes courage, and also we shouldn't forget that this account today will also overshadow all of the good that they also did."
Interfaith relations
Nichols played a prominent role in producing the 1996 CBCEW document, Common Good and Catholic Social Teaching,, in which the English Catholic bishops condemned the rhetoric of greed in a move interpreted as an endorsement of New LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
In 2004, he prominently intervened in an argument pitching religious offence against artistic freedom when he criticised Birmingham Repertory Theatre for showing the play Behzti
Behzti
Behzti is a play written by the British Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. The play sparked a controversy in the United Kingdom in December 2004. A controversial scene set in a Gurdwara included scenes of rape, physical abuse and murder. Some members of the Sikh community found the play deeply...
(Dishonour), which depicted scenes of sexual abuse and murder in a Sikh temple. He argued that the Sikh community had acted in a "reasonable and measured way" in representing their concerns. "Such a deliberate, even if fictional, violation of the sacred place of the Sikh religion demeans the sacred places of every religion. People of all faiths, therefore, will be offended by this presentation."
In March 2009, he allowed the Catholic chapel at a Roman Catholic college in Birmingham to be used for the commemoration of the birth of the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic prophet
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
with interfaith debate in the college chapel, sparking some local controversy. Nichols defended the location of the celebration, saying through his spokesman, "Christian/Muslim dialogue is an important part of the Catholic Church's agenda."
In November 2009, he "offered flowers at the altar to the deities" during a visit to the Hindu Temple in Neasden. When the action occasioned press comment, details of the episode were removed from the Archdiocese of Westminster's website.
Reception of former Anglicans
On 20 October 2009, Cardinal William LevadaWilliam Levada
William Joseph Levada is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Since 2005, he has served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, making him the highest ranking American in the Roman Curia. He was previously the Archbishop of Portland from 1986 to 1995 and...
and Archbishop Joseph DiNoia held a press conference in which they announced that Pope Benedict XVI was preparing to release an apostolic constitution
Apostolic constitution
An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope. The use of the term constitution comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law of the...
that would allow Anglicans, both laity and clergy, to join the Catholic Church in groups and maintain their corporate identity in new Personal Ordinariates for former Anglicans entering the Roman Catholic Church
A joint statement on the new protocol from Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Vincent Nichols of Westminster
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in England. The archdiocese consists of all the London boroughs north of the River Thames and west of the River Lea, together with the towns southwest of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames and...
and the Anglican Communion's head, Archbishop Rowan Williams
Rowan Williams
Rowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
of Canterbury, was issued at the same time in London. The joint statement claimed that the development reflected "substantial overlap in faith, doctrine and spirituality between the Catholic Church and the Anglican tradition" and affirmed "on-going official dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion", including the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).
However, Canon Giles Fraser, an Anglican Canon of St Paul's Cathedral, preaching at an ecumenical service at Archbishop Nichols' own Roman Catholic Cathedral in Westminster, suggested "...there are some – and indeed in both churches – who do not see it like this at all. For from the Anglican perspective, this new invitation to swim the Tiber can sometimes have a slightly predatory feel; in corporate terms, a little like a take over bid in some broader power play of church politics."
Homosexuality
Archbishop Nichols supported the unsuccessful effort to have Catholic adoption agencies exempted from sexual orientation regulations.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article1499944.ece His position was qualified by his statement during a BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
interview that he would not oppose adoption by a gay person that was single. Mary Ann Sieghart
Mary Ann Sieghart
Mary Ann Sieghart is a former assistant editor of The Times, where she wrote columns about politics, social affairs and life generally. She now writes a weekly political column in The Independent and presents Profile and Beyond Westminster on Radio 4...
, a Catholic journalist, commenting for The Times on Nichols' statements on the subject, observed that "had the Catholic position been more hardline, it might have stood more of a chance. But once Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Birmingham
Archbishop of Birmingham
The Archbishop of Birmingham heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Birmingham....
, admitted on Tuesday's Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
that his agencies were happy to place children with single gay people, but not couples, his argument fell apart. Surely two parents are better than one? If single homosexuals are acceptable, why not a couple committed to each other?"
On 10 April 2009, Nichols appeared to shrug off calls by former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
and Catholic convert Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, who had suggested the Church change its views on
Homosexuality and Roman Catholicism
In Roman Catholicism, homosexual acts are considered contrary to natural law and sinful, while homosexual desires are considered "disordered" but not themselves sinful. The Catholic Church considers human sexual behavior to be sacred, when properly expressed...
homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Archbishop Nichols responded by saying, "I am afraid the way the Catholic Church thinks is rather different to [Blair's thinking] and...I will take my guide from Pope Benedict actually."
In an interview in July 2010, Nichols responded in an ambivalent fashion to a question posed by BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
journalist Stephen Sackur
Stephen Sackur
Stephen John Sackur is a BBC journalist who presents HARDtalk, a current affairs interview programme on BBC World News and BBC News 24. He is also the main Friday presenter of GMT on BBC World News...
on whether the Catholic Church might one day recognise gay unions
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. The exchange began with Sackur considering the situation in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
:
This uncertainty about whether the Church might come to approve of homosexual relations in future was restated in an interview with the Daily Telegraph published in September 2010. Asked whether the Church should one day accept the reality of gay partnerships, Archbishop Nichols responded by saying, "I don't know", going on to contend - in the words of his interviewer - that "the old language – of mortal sin, for example – was... a misguided attempt to motivate the faithful."
Following the papal visit of September 2010, Nichols participated in a BBC discussion in which he stated, on the subject of the English and Welsh bishops' attitude to homosexual civil partnerships: "In this country we were very nuanced. We did not oppose gay civil partnerships. We recognized that in English law there might be a case for those. What we persistently said, is that these are not the same as marriage." The 2005 document outlining the English and Welsh bishops' stance with respect to civil partnerships was subsequently revealed to have been rejected when submitted for review to authorities in the Vatican.
Nichols has refused to criticise masses being held in the London parish of Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, organised by way of special provision for a community of people of a same-sex orientation. In a direct response to protestors he said, "anybody who is trying to cast a judgement on the people who come forward for communion really ought to learn to hold their tongue". Critics such as William Oddie, a former editor of the Catholic Herald, have argued that "whole ethos of the Soho Masses is a committed denial of [Catholic teaching on homosexuality], a denial in which they are encouraged by the Archdiocese of Westminster".
In July 2011, the Archdiocese of Westminster agreed to host a conference in its diocesan pastoral centre (All Saints, London Colney
London Colney
London Colney is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is located to the north of London, at Junction 22 of the M25 motorway....
) for an organisation called Quest, which describes itself as aimed at gay people "seeking ways of reconciling the full practice of their Catholic faith with the full expression of their homosexual natures in loving Christian relationships".
Education
In 2006, Nichols denounced then-Secretary for EducationSecretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson
Alan Arthur Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was...
's plan to introduce a quota for non-Catholic pupils at Catholic schools as "insulting", "divisive", and "ill thought-out, unworkable and contradictory of empirical evidence". He mobilized over 2,000 Catholic school headteachers in his campaign and the plan was eventually dropped.
In August 2009, he warned that in his view the overuse by young people of online social networking websites (such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
) encouraged teenagers to build "transient relationships" that can leave them traumatised and even suicidal when they collapse: "We're losing some of the ability to build interpersonal communication that's necessary for living together and building a community."
Prison chaplaincy
In October 2010 Nichols made a defence of Catholic prison chaplaincy in a speech at Brixton Prison in London. He criticised suggestions that amid budget cuts the state should only fund a single “generic chaplaincy” in British prisons. He said: "There are some today who seem to see a future with some sort of 'generic chaplaincy', providing spiritual support irrespective of the church family of the person, as part of a package of care and rehabilitation to all ... That is, of course, valuable, and no chaplain would or should turn away any person who seeks help. But where I part company from such thinking is in the idea that a generic approach can ever be truly respectful or sufficient."Petition
Nichols and former MP Ann WiddecombeAnn Widdecombe
Ann Noreen Widdecombe is a former British Conservative Party politician and has been a novelist since 2000. She is a Privy Councillor and was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 to 1997 and for Maidstone and The Weald from 1997 to 2010. She was a social conservative and a member of...
are supporting a petition to stop the owners of a London pub changing its name. "The Cardinal", near Westminster Cathedral, is due to be renamed "The Windsor Castle" when it reopens after refurbishment. More than 150 people have signed the petition since it was started on 5 April 2011 by the Independent Catholic News newspaper. The pub was named after a former Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Henry Edward Manning. Nichols said that although the pub was originally called The Windsor Castle, the name The Cardinal has a better historical connection to the area and that "The reason why it was changed was because of the great impact that Cardinal Manning had on the life of London".