Archdiocese of Westminster Archidioecesis Vestmonasteriensis | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Territory | Greater London boroughs north of the Thames and west of Waltham Forest and Newham, plus theCity of London, the districts of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames, and the county of Hertfordshire. |
| Ecclesiastical province | Westminster |
| Deaneries | 23 |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 3,634 km2 (1,403 sq mi) |
Population
|
|
| Parishes | 214 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 29 September 1850 |
| Cathedral | Westminster Cathedral |
| Secular priests | 366 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Archbishop | Vincent Nichols |
| Auxiliary Bishops | |
| Vicar General | Martin Hayes |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| rcdow.org.uk | |
TheRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster (Latin:Archidioecesis Vestmonasteriensis) is aLatinarchdiocese[1] of theCatholic Church in England and Wales. The diocese consists of most ofLondon north of theRiver Thames and west of theRiver Lea, theborough of Spelthorne (in Surrey), and the county ofHertfordshire, which lies immediately to London's north.
The diocese is led by thearchbishop of Westminster, who serves aspastor of themother church,Westminster Cathedral, as well as themetropolitan bishop of theecclesiasticalProvince of Westminster. Since there-establishment of the English Catholic dioceses in 1850, each archbishop of Westminster—including the incumbent, CardinalVincent Nichols—has been created acardinal by thepope in consistory, often as the only cardinal in England, and is now the 43rd ofEnglish cardinals since the 12th century. It is also customary for the archbishop of Westminster to be elected president of theCatholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales providing a degree of a formal direction for the other English bishops and archbishops. Though not formally aprimate, he has special privileges conferred by thepapal bullSi qua est.[2] The archbishop of Westminster has not been granted the title of Primate of England and Wales, which is sometimes applied to him, but his position has been described as that of "chief metropolitan" of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and as "similar to" that of thearchbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England (as the metropolitan bishop of theProvince of Canterbury).[3] The diocese is one of the smallest dioceses in England and Wales in geographical area, but the largest in terms of Catholic population and priests.[4]
Thesuffragansees of Westminster are the dioceses ofBrentwood,East Anglia,Northampton, andNottingham.
The diocese essentially covers the same region as the Church of EnglandDiocese of London as it was before theEnglish Reformation until 1850, adopting—like all other dioceses across England (created that year)[5]—an alternative name (originally because of theEcclesiastical Titles Act 1851) but based on the centuries-old divisions of the country.[6] The diocese effectively survived the period of Catholic oppression in English history as amissionary territory established by canons accepted by Rome in 1622 as theApostolic Vicariate of England which was in public law pronouncedin England and Wales illegal as counter to the established church.
The mostly clandestine apostolic vicariate covering the country was divided so that the Apostolic Vicariate of London District formed on 30 January 1688 coinciding with a degree of freedoms. By decree ofPope Pius IX(Universalis Ecclesiae), this entity gained its elevation to the rank of ametropolitan diocese (instead of archdiocese) on 29 September 1850.
On 3 April 2009, it was announced that theArchbishop of Birmingham, the Most ReverendVincent Nichols, would become the 11th Archbishop of Westminster.[7]Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, who was installed as tenth Archbishop of Westminster on 22 March 2000 and was elevated to the rank of cardinal-priest of the title of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva byPope John Paul II on 21 February 2001, became archbishop emeritus. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor had announced on 9 July 2007 that, in accordance with the age limit of 75 years prescribed for bishops in the1983 Code of Canon Law, he had submitted his resignation toPope Benedict XVI, but that the Pope had asked him to continue in his pastoral ministry as archbishop beyond the age limit until further provision was made, as occurred in 2009.
The archbishop is usually assisted by fourauxiliary bishops, each with specific areas of responsibility within the administration of the diocese. One of the auxiliary bishops serves aschancellor andmoderator of the metropolitancuria; one as vicar for the clergy; one for pastoral affairs; and one for education and formation.
The metropolitan curia andchancery offices are located at Vaughan House, outsideWestminster Cathedral in central London. The diocesanseminary,Allen Hall, is located inChelsea, West London, and (withUshaw College) is a direct descendant of the seminary ofDouai College, France.
The Diocese is aregistered charity No.233699.[1]
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Liturgy in the diocese is primarily based around theordinary form of the Roman Rite, promulgated byPope Paul VI, now in its third edition. However, as might be expected from a city as cosmopolitan asLondon, there is a great diversity in the liturgy as celebrated by Catholics. TheLatin Mass Society celebrates the liturgy according to theextraordinary form of the Roman Rite. TheUkrainian Greek Catholics have a strong presence in the diocese withtheir own cathedral in Binney Street close toBond Street. There is aLebanese Maronite community based at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Cirencester Street in West London; aMelkite community inPimlico, at St Barnabas'Church of England church; anEthiopian Catholic church, Our Lady Queen of Heaven, inQueensway West London; anEritrean Catholic Church, St Aidan of Lindisfarne, in East Acton; aChaldean Catholic church, St Anne's, in Laxton Place; and aBelarusian Catholic church in Holden Avenue in North London. There are also a large number of Masses for the expatriate Polish community; as well as dedicated French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish language churches. There are also ethnic chaplaincies serving Catholics from Africa, Albania, Brazil, the Caribbean, China, Croatia, the Philippines, India, Hungary, Ireland, Korea, Latin America, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Traveller, Gypsy and Roma communities, and Vietnam.[8]
The diocese is also responsible for many institutional chaplaincies, includingHeathrow Airport, hospitals and prisons. SeeSt. George's Interdenominational Chapel, Heathrow Airport for more information about the Heathrow Airport Latin-Church Catholic chaplaincy.
There are a large number of religious communities in the diocese. Religious orders of men include: theAssumptionists atBethnal Green,Hitchin and Burnt Oak; theAugustinians atHammersmith andHoxton; theAugustinian Recollects at Kensal New Town,Kensington andWembley; theBenedictines atEaling Abbey andCockfosters; theCarmelites at Finchley East;Discalced Carmelites at Kensington; theChristian Brothers atTwickenham; the missionaryColumban Fathers atHampstead; theDominicans at Haverstock Hill; theFranciscans at Pimlico; theFranciscan Friars of the Atonement in Westminster; theHoly Ghost Fathers at New Barnett andNorthwood; and thePassionists at Highgate. TheJesuits have a large presence in London with communities in Mayfair (at Farm Street), Southall, Stamford Hill and Swiss Cottage. TheOratorians are based at theChurch of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Kensington, which is popularly known as theBrompton Oratory and is the largest church in the diocese afterWestminster Cathedral.
Religious communities of women include the Carmelites atGolders Green and Ware; thePoor Clares in Barnet; the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories at the cathedral; the Ursulines of Jesus at Hoxton, Kingsland and Stamford Hill; the Dominicans at Bushey, Cricklewood, Ealing,Edgware, Harpenden, Harrow on the Hill, Haverstock Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Osterley, Stevenage and Pinner. The Institute of the BVM is located in Swiss Cottage, Acton, Osterley, Redbourn andSt Albans. TheSisters of Mercy are located at the cathedral, Acton East, Bethnal Green, Bow, Clapton Park, Commercial Road, Cricklewood, Feltham, Hampton Hill, Hillingdon, Kensal, Newtown, Marylebone Road, St Albans, St John's Wood, Twickenham and Underwood Road. The Servants of the Mother of God atBayswater,Hampton andSomers Town.
The diocese is involved in both the independent and state school sectors. Some 159 state and 10 independentprimary schools are in the diocese along with 42 state and 4 independentsecondary schools. There are also a further five independent primary / secondary and special schools including the Choristers school attached to the cathedral.
Music in the diocese is as diverse as the communities represented in it, but the all-malecathedral choir is reputedly one of the best in the country[9][10] and sings at all chief Masses in the cathedral as well as the dailydivine offices. There are several choirs that specialise inGregorian Chant and aCharismatic group centred on the diocesanseminary atAllen Hall.
| Province of Birmingham |  | |
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| Province of Cardiff | ||
| Province of Liverpool | ||
| Province of Southwark | ||
| Province of Westminster | ||
| Other Latin jurisdictions | ||
| Eastern Catholic jurisdictions | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
51°29′46″N0°08′23″W / 51.4960°N 0.1396°W /51.4960; -0.1396
