Cardinal's Homilies

Given at the Red Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Thursday 1 In a famous saying, St Augustine of Hippo remarked that a society without justice is no better than a gang of thieves. Today, at this Mass, we pray for all who are involved, through the...Read more

Our ceremony today is quite unusual, for at least two reasons. First we are gathering under the restrictions of the pandemic. We are only too aware of them. We accept and exercise our responsibilities as conscientiously and deliberately as we…Read more

Given at the Chrism Mass at Westminster Cathedral on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, 14 Every celebration of the Eucharist is an act of thanksgiving; today's Mass especially so. I thank my brother priests joining in this celebration...Read more

Today, on our virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes, we gather in spirit and prayer for the customary Wednesday International Mass. We can easily conjure up the sights and sounds of that vast underground basilica in Lourdes: the great gathering of...Read more

The Scripture readings we have just heard, and the witness of the life of Canon Christopher Tuckwell, for whom we pray, invite us today to a renewal of our faith in Jesus. This faith underpinned Christopher's life and ministry, giving him the stab...Read more

Given at the Mass for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, 14 These last three months have been a very testing time. Whatever words we use: 'lock down', 'social distancing', 'self-isolation', they all point to pressure on our…Read more

Life has been so strange for these last ten weeks. There has never been a time quite like it, difficult yet gifted. For, in fact, these weeks have been full of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whose coming on the group of the first disciples of the L...Read more

I am not old enough to remember VE Day! Many of you are! I just about remember that exciting feeling when rationing of sweets ended and there was a steady supply of butter. But the excitement of 8 May 1945 was too early for me. Today gives us all...Read more

  Today we contemplate Jesus as the Good Shepherd. This is a most lovely and ancient way of coming close to our Blessed Lord. We can bring to mind so easily the image of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine and goes in search of the lost on...Read more

Homily given by Cardinal Vincent Nichols at the Mass for healthcare workers, carers, the sick and their families, on the Solemnity of St George (Patron of England), 23 In this land a lovely custom has developed of going to our front doors,…Read more

Given at the Easter Vigil in Holy Night, 11 These moments together give us an opportunity of taking to heart the joyous proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus. His victory over death, proclaimed this night, changes radically the way we unde...Read more

Given at Mass of the Lord's Supper on 9 In such unusual circumstances, we celebrate together the Last Supper of the Lord. We remember and relive the moment in which he handed himself over to us in the Eucharist before handing himself over to...Read more

One of the treasures of the National Gallery is the Wilton Diptych, a mediaeval portable altarpiece from the late 14th century. It consists of two pieces of wood, hinged together and beautifully painted on all four sides. The Diptych is immensely ...Read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, You need no words from me to state the grave seriousness of the crisis of the spread of the coronavirus around the world and throughout this country. We know the steps and the sacrifices we must take i...Read more