Resignation of metropolitan archbishop of Southwark, England, and appointment of new archbishop

The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Southwark, England, presented by H.E. Msgr. Peter Smith.

The Pope has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Southwark, England, H.E. Msgr. John Wilson, transferring him from the titular see of Lindisfarna and the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Westminster.

The bishop-elect was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on 4 July 1968. He was baptized in the Anglican Communion the following 3 November. He was received in the Catholic Church on 23 February 1985, and confirmed in the Cathedral of Leeds on 5 July 1987.

He studied at the University of Leeds, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in theology and religious studies in 1989. In 1993 he received a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome; in 1995, a licentiate in moral theology from the Alphonsianum in Rome and finally, in 2004, a doctorate in ethics from the University of Durham.

He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Leeds in 1995.

After a year as parish vicar, he became professor of moral theology at Ushaw College. He was episcopal vicar for evangelization in the diocese of Leeds from 2004 to 2012, and served as apostolic administrator of the diocese during the sede vacante from 2012 to 2014. In 2014 he was appointed as parish priest. He was named Chaplain of His Holiness in 2011.

He was appointed titular bishop of Lindisfarna and auxiliary of Westminster on 2 November 2015, and was consecrated on 25 January 2016.