Archbishop brings joy to Westminster

By Simon Caldwell
CATHOLICS Of the most important see of England and Wales were promised an era of "joy and hope" by the man installed this week as their new leader.
The pledge came from Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in a ceremony in Westminster Cathedral, London, where he was made successor to the late Cardinal Basil Hume as the Archbishop of Westminster.
Archbishop MurphyO'Connor. formerly the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, took as his motto Gaudium et Spes — Joy and Hope — and in his homily spoke of his optimism for the Church.
"1 want you to know that it is with a sense of gladness and hope that I come to you as your new shepherd and pastor," he told a congregation which included the Duchess of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent, and Hugh Van Cutsen, representing the Prince of Wales.
"I do not believe these are gloomy times for the Catholic Church in our country. When the skies are dark the light shines more brightly," he said in his homily on Wednesday.
"For those who follow Christ, there is assurance that in Him, God has visited his people. Just as in Jesus Christ the people were healed and taught about the Kingdom of God and assured that their sins were forgiven and that God had a destiny for each and every one of them. so it is true for us today."
The first ceremony, on Tuesday night, began with his reception at the cathedral doors by the provost and canons of the cathedral chapter and the diocese's auxiliary bishops and episcopal vicars.
The archbishop-elect kissed a crucifix, sprinkled himself and the congregation with holy water and proceeded into the cathedral for the lueernarium, a ceremony of light, while the crowd held lit candles.
The rite of welcome was then conducted by dioce
san administrator Bishop Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop-elect of Birmingham who will himself be installed next Wednesday.
Archbishop-elect Murphy-O'Connor read out an Apostolic Letter from the Pope, then declared: "Trusting in the Lord, who always brings any good work to fulfilment, I accept the ministry entrusted to me today... and so take canonical possession of this diocese. I rejoice in the prayer pledged here this day."
During the installation Mass the day after, the Archbishop pledged himself to greater Christian unity and social justice and spoke on the centrality of "truth" in the causes of freedom, human dignity, the family and the common good. Guests included Cherie Blair, Lord Alton, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Longford, General Sir Charles Guthrie, Charles Moore, William Hague, and Charles Kennedy.
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