BISHOP NICHOLAS HUDSON INSTALLED AS BISHOP OF PLYMOUTH AFTER THREE YEAR VACANCY AND TWO FAILED APPOINTMENTS

Diocese Spanning Cornwall, Devon, And Dorset Finally Receives Shepherd On Feast Of Martyred Priest St Cuthbert Mayne

Bishop Nicholas Hudson was installed as the ninth Bishop of Plymouth on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, ending a three year vacancy marked by two previous failed appointments.

The installation took place on the Patronal Feast Day of St Cuthbert Mayne, the first English priest martyred under Queen Elizabeth I, who was executed by hanging, drawing and quartering in Launceston 448 years ago after secretly celebrating Mass in Cornwall.

Senior Catholic clergy including Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark, and bishops from across England and Wales attended the Mass. Anglican bishops from Exeter and Plymouth, ecumenical representatives, interfaith leaders, and civic dignitaries including the Vice Lord Lieutenants of Devon and Cornwall also participated.

The Diocese of Plymouth has been without a bishop since June 2022. Canon Christopher Whitehead was scheduled to be installed on February 22, 2024, but the installation was suddenly canceled on February 1, 2024, after "a canonical process" was initiated and Whitehead stepped back from active ministry.

In September 2024, Pope Francis appointed Philip Moger as Plymouth's new bishop, but a "delay" to his installation was announced just days before it was scheduled to take place on November 9, 2024. No official explanation was provided for either cancellation.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Hudson on October 21, 2025. The Bull of Appointment stated, "We thought of you, having carefully considered your pastoral achievements in the duties you have undertaken in the Archdiocese of Westminster, together with your spiritual and human gifts and your expertise in administration, which make you suitable for advancement to this greater office."

Bishop Hudson, 66, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Southwark in 1986 and has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of St Germans in Cornwall since 2014. He also served as Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome and was elected episcopal secretary for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales in 2024.

In his installation homily, Bishop Hudson reflected on St Cuthbert Mayne, who worked secretly as a steward by day and celebrated sacraments for Catholics by night. This was made possible by nobleman Francis Tregian, who allowed Father Cuthbert to use his house at Probus in Cornwall. Tregian paid with life imprisonment and seizure of all his estates while Father Cuthbert paid with his life.

Bishop Hudson emphasized the partnership of lay and ordained for mission, what Pope John Paul II called "co-responsibility" following the 1988 Synod on the Laity. He said, "Plymouth Diocese's waiting for a new Bishop has been a very long Advent. Now the work begins."

As the new Bishop of Plymouth, Hudson will lead a diocese serving a Catholic population of approximately 11,293 across 57 parishes and 37 schools throughout Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Canon Paul Cummins, who served as diocesan administrator for three years, welcomed the appointment, telling reporters, "It's fantastic news. It's so good that we have a bishop. We needed that. We do need a pastor with vision, with energy, who can shepherd the flock in a way that only a bishop can."

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said, "Bishop Hudson will serve the Diocese of Plymouth with great generosity and sensitivity, bringing to that leadership his wide experience of the Church both at home and abroad."

Bishop Hudson said upon his appointment, "I am aware how long the clergy, religious and laity of Plymouth Diocese have waited for a bishop. I come with a desire to listen and to learn. I hope we can apply all the strengths of synodality to discern together ways to deepen the diocese's outreach, mission and presence to the people of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset."

The Diocese of Plymouth was established by Pope Pius IX on September 29, 1850, as an original suffragan see within the Province of Westminster.

TAKE ACTION

1. Pray for Bishop Nicholas Hudson as he begins his ministry leading the Diocese of Plymouth after a difficult three year vacancy. Ask God to grant him wisdom, strength, and pastoral sensitivity in shepherding 11,293 Catholics across 57 parishes and 37 schools.
2. Support the Diocese of Plymouth through donations to diocesan ministries, Catholic schools, and parish programs that have operated without a bishop for three years. Help strengthen the Catholic presence in Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset.
   • Diocese of Plymouth: www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk
3. Thank Canon Paul Cummins for his faithful service as diocesan administrator during the challenging three year vacancy and two failed appointments. His leadership maintained stability during an uncertain period for Plymouth Catholics.
4. Study the life of St Cuthbert Mayne, the first English priest martyred under Queen Elizabeth I, who risked his life to bring sacraments to Catholics in Cornwall during the Reformation. His feast day, November 29, was chosen for Bishop Hudson's installation.
5. Pray for Catholic unity between clergy and laity following Bishop Hudson's emphasis on "co-responsibility" for mission. Support efforts to deepen Catholic outreach and presence in England's Southwest where Catholics are a small minority.
6. Support vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the Diocese of Plymouth. Encourage young men to consider the priesthood and promote a culture of vocational discernment in parishes across the three counties.