Archbishop Smith installed in Southwark

Archbishop Peter Smith, formerly of Cardiff, was installed in his old home diocese this afternoon. In his homily he addressed growing secularism, the challenges facing the Church, the abuse crisis, finally reminding Catholics to take heart.

There is an interview with Archbishop Smith in this Friday’s Catholic Herald, which is not to miss (even if I say so myself) and I will be posting the full transcript of the interview on the blog tomorrow.

A teaser for my  interview:
For a man who is about to be installed as the new Archbishop of Southwark, Peter Smith seems surprisingly relaxed. He whistles as he comes down the stairs in Archbishop’s House, his clerical collar is pushed to one side and the top buttons of his shirt are undone.

His parlour is impeccable, the books and DVDs tidily arranged in glass bookcases, and the only indicators of his recent move from Cardiff are some empty cardboard boxes outside the door and stacks of pictures that still need to be hung. He’s been working on the homily for his enthronement and preparing a talk that he is giving the day before to the Anglican directors of education in Warwick, a promise he made well before he heard the news of his appointment. Read more.

Over at Westminster Archdiocese, Patrick Daly has a full report on the enthronment ceremony.