The Installation of Archbishop George Stack - Seventh Archbishop of Cardiff

The Most Rev George Stack, seventh Archbishop of Cardiff, is being Installed at St David's Cathedral as this post is published. Yesterday afternoon, the Archbishop-elect celebrated vespers at a packed Cathedral. This afternoon's Mass will also be a standing-room only event, which is expected to include the presence of Our Lady of the Taper and many prayers and readings in Welsh. I also know that Archbishop Stack plans to address the congregation in Welsh, as he commits himself to the service of the people of God in Cardiff and Wales. This desire to speak in Welsh will most definitely be a powerful sign of the Archbishop's commitment to his Church and to the principality.

It is not by chance that this day was chosen for the Installation, for I believe that Archbishop Stack wished to connect this event to the British proto-martyrs whose feast we celebrate today - namely Ss Aaron, Julius and Alban. The first two died for the Catholic faith under Diocletian at Caerleon (less than 20 miles from Cardiff) around the same time as St Alban was executed for protecting a priest in Verulamium (modern-day St Albans). All three saints witness not only to Christ's love, but also to the fact that the Christian Church was very much present in Britain before the advent of St Augustine of Canterbury - who arrived in the kingdom of Kent nearly 300 years after these men were martyred.

Of course, the ancient British Church - which always remained in communion with Rome - was pushed into modern-day Wales during the Anglo-Saxon invasions of that part of Britain now known as England. Since that time, the people of Wales, often ignored or sidelined in ecclesiastical matters, have drawn great comfort from the fact that Christianity has far deeper roots in their land than in any other part these Isles - bar, of course, Cornwall, Cumbria and the ancient parts of the Old North (modern-day Strathclyde and southern Scotland).

I feel that in choosing to highlight his Diocese's ancient martyrs by being Installed on their feast day, Archbishop Stack is acknowledging the ancient Christian heritage of Wales. It is a heritage that traces itself back to Roman Britain as well as to the Age of the Saints - which produced men such as Ss David, Illtud, and Teilo. I also think that by connecting to this "Celtic" past, the Archbishop will endear himself and his Church to those men and women of Wales who are thirsting for the Gospel and a new British Age of Saints. He will also, of course, show himself to be a man who is aware of the sensitivities of many Welsh Christians, who often tire of reading in Catholic publications that Christianity was brought to Britain by St Augustine of Canterbury!

Last night, I listened to Archbishop Stack's interview with Roy Jenkins on BBC Radio Wales's All Things Considered. It was good to hear that the Archbishop emphasised the role of education and the need for the Church to care for the most vulnerable in society. He also spoke of the poverty he experienced as a child in Ireland, and of his awareness of the hardships caused by harsh economic realities. There are parts of South Wales that have been economically depressed for decades, and I feel that the new Archbishop will be able to engage with those towns and villages in very positive and creative ways. During last night's programme, the Archbishop of Cardiff also mentioned that vocations are on the increase amongst those religious communities that are "radical" - he cited the growth of vocations amongst the Dominicans and the fact that young men are greatly attracted to the Franciscans of the Renewal. As the Archbishop suggested, many young people want to offer themselves to God totally, which means that if the Church wishes to see an increase vocations then she might need to foster radical religious communities and seminaries.

I know that the Church and people of Cardiff and Wales will find a great leader in Archbishop George Stack. He strikes me as a man who wishes to immerse himself in the Welsh culture and who is more than happy to be leading the Catholic Church in Wales. From what I know, he will end his homily at today's Installation Mass by committing himself to the people of Cardiff and Wales, so that in all things God may be glorified. These words will be spoken by him in Welsh, which surely strengthens and confirms this commitment he wishes to make.

Mair o Aberteifi, gweddia drosom ni

Dewi Sant, gweddia drosom ni

Saint Alban, Julius ac Aaron, gweddiwch drosom ni

Holl Saint Cymru a Phrydain, gweddiwch drosom ni

Our Lady of the Taper, pray for us

St David, pray for us

Ss Alban, Julius and Aaron, pray for us

All Saints of Wales and Britain, pray for us

UPDATE 12:50pm - Here is a copy of the homily preached by Archbishop George Stack at his Installation as the Seventh Archbishop of Cardiff: -

“The Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Archdiocese of Westminster are united in a special way today, and not just by the Installation of a new Archbishop!

“For the last six years, I have cared for the county of Hertfordshire as Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster. The town and Abbey of St Albans in Hertfordshire are named after the first Roman martyr of the 3rd century, Saint Alban. This Roman soldier had become a Christian not by instruction but by the example of a Christian priest. In disguising himself in the cloak of a Christian priest and refusing to betray him, Alban was executed. He abundantly fulfilled the words describing the sacrifice of Jesus: “Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). At about the same time, two other Christian citizens of the Roman Settlement at Caerleon were also executed for their Christian faith. We know very little about them. What we do know is that they gave their lives for the faith. Down through the ages and to the present people continue to do the same. The blood of the martyrs is the seedbed of the church.

“The word martyr simply means witness. Bearing witness to something greater than ourselves has always been a challenge. It is a demanding, challenging and difficult thing to do both personally and also as a community of faith which is the Church. We seek to bear witness to the truth about the human person, the truth about life, the truth about love. That truth is shown us in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus does not just speak about the truth, but shows us what truth is. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. Jesus is the man for others, the one who willingly gave his life as the cost of love. On the cross, Jesus did not withdraw God’s love. He did not say “I have wasted my time. These people are unforgivable”. On the cross, Jesus goes on revealing, goes on loving, goes on forgiving. In doing so, he breaks through the barrier that separates us from all that is good and true and holy. He conquers suffering, sin and death. They no longer say the last word about us and to us.

“No wonder one of the greatest Christian virtues is hope. Not a vague optimism that somehow things will get better. More a living faith that even in turmoil and confusion there is a meaning and a purpose to existence which cannot be fully explained in the here and now. A conviction that nothing is wasted in the sight of God.

“As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to witness to those truths, not just in what we say, but by what we do and who we are. We are challenged to give an account of the faith which gives us hope both in the public sphere and in our private lives. Pope Benedict XVI gave us an inspirational example in his speech at Westminster Hall when he explored the essential partnership between faith and reason. He set out a path to help us navigate the social, economic and financial crises being faced by the western world. Whilst continuing to care for those who are poor in any way, and the support of the alienated and dispossessed, we must also have the courage to challenge those structures of injustice which deprive people of the “tools for conviviality” which are essential if every person is to make a proper contribution to a civilised society.

“Perhaps we do not articulate our passion and compassion for the Common Good as well as we could. Perhaps we are misunderstood when we seek to contribute to the public discourse to the ‘Civilisation of Love’ spoken of by Pope Paul VI. Perhaps the role of faith in re-forming our varied communities is sometimes distorted or deliberately misunderstood.

“But the Church wants nothing except the good of all people. We are convinced that ‘The glory of God is humanity fully alive’ (St. Irenaeus). The words and example of Jesus are the pattern of life which we his followers wish to live by: ‘Whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it’.”

[Image: Top: Bishop George Stack is presented to Pope Benedict XVI at Oscott College, 19 September 2010; this image is attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk and published under a creative commons licence; source: Flickr Catholic Church England and Wales. Bottom: The Archbishop of Cardiff seeks the intercession of Our Lady of the Taper; this image is attributed and credited to Marcin Mazur © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk and published under a creative commons licence; source: Flickr Catholic Church England and Wales]