The Right Reverend Nicholas Hudson was installed as the Bishop of Plymouth at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth, on the Patronal Feast Day of St Cuthbert Mayne, Saturday 29 November 2025.
Senior Catholic clergy, including His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Most Reverend John Wilson, Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark and archbishops and bishops from England and Wales attended the Installation Mass.
The Bull of Appointment from Pope Leo XIV highlighted the Church’s confidence in the appointment of Bishop Hudson:
“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.”
Parishioners from across Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, priests and deacons of the Diocese of Plymouth, priests from other dioceses and religious orders, Abbots, Bishops of England and Wales, the Anglican Bishop of Exeter and the Anglican Bishop of Plymouth, ecumenical representatives from other Christian denominations, interfaith leaders, civic dignitaries including the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Devon, and the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, the Chief Superintendent of Devon and Cornwall Police, the Group Commander of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and the Lord Mayor of Exeter, diocesan trustees, school leaders from Catholic education institutions and charity representatives all attended the Mass of Installation.
In his Installation homily, Bishop Hudson reflected on the martyrdom of St Cuthbert Mayne, who ascended the scaffold in Launceston 448 years ago (or, according to some sources, the following day). He described how St Cuthbert Mayne had been found in possession of two forbidden objects: a papal bull like the one brought to us this day by the Apostolic Nuncio; the other, an Agnus Dei – the Agnus Dei being a wax image of the Lamb of God which Fr Cuthbert bore around his neck. Bishop Hudson said that St Cuthbert Mayne was the first martyr to have been trained in Douai, across the water in France, and that he had chosen to return from Douai to keep alive the faith of Catholics in Cornwall.
The bishop spoke of how St Cuthbert Mayne had heard the Lord’s call to feed the lambs, to feed the sheep, to look after the sheep; and come. Passing, by day, as a steward, by night Fr Cuthbert would don the vestments of a priest to feed the flock with the sacraments. Bishop Hudson explained that this would have been impossible without the courageous help of nobleman Francis Tregian, who allowed Fr Cuthbert to work out of his house at Probus in Cornwall; and to travel across his estates. Tregian paid the price of life imprisonment and the seizure of all his estates; Fr Cuthbert the price of death by hanging, drawing and quartering.
Bishop Hudson emphasised that lay and ordained, they knew themselves to share responsibility – with others – for the mission here in England’s South-West. He highlighted the key partnerships – the partnership of lay and ordained for mission which Pope St John Paul II coined as ‘co-responsibility’ in his reflection following the Synod on the Laity in 1988. The bishop shared that Mission, the Mission, is the word all those Colleges abroad used – and still use to this day – to describe the call to build up and nurture the Church at home, adding that it’s a mission more urgent today than ever, especially as the Church prepares to celebrate in eight years’ time, the Great Jubilee of 2033, the 2000 Anniversary of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bishop Hudson spoke of encouraging shoots of recovery, referencing ‘The Quiet Revival’, a recent academic study which identified an upsurge in the number of people – especially young men – coming to church in this country. He said this rings true with what’s being reported from many parishes across the land. However, he identified a twofold challenge: we need in our communities to help these new and returning Catholics really to find their place in their Church; and to draw many more people – both young and old – to Christ and the life of the sacraments.
Speaking of the more recent Synods, which took place in Rome in 2023 and 2024, Bishop Hudson explained that they identified this responsibility as a ‘co-responsibility’ – taking up and developing the term coined by Pope John Paul. These Synods were clear that helping individuals find their place in the Church is something for which clergy and laity alike bear a shared responsibility. He emphasised that the key to knowing how we do it, how we organise ourselves to welcome, according to the latest Synod, is to deepen our listening. The bishop said: “that we need to deepen the quality of our listening to the Spirit, to one another, and to our context; our listening to every generation in the Church – but with a special attentiveness to the young, to the poor, to the marginalised, to those who stand on the outside looking in.”
Bishop Hudson also spoke of evangelisation, a priority for Pope Leo and noting that Popes from St John Paul II to Benedict XVI to Francis have all been clear that evangelisation – the sharing of our faith – needs to be all-embracing; that it’s aimed at three distinct categories – at those who belong to Christ and His Church, at those who no longer belong, as well as at those who never belonged. He said: “To us who belong to Christ and his Church the onus is to find ways of telling others who is this Jesus whom we love and worship.” He added that this is about communicating our relationship with Christ, in word and deed and in such a way that causes people to ask, “Who is this Jesus whom you love and worship?”
In his post-communion address, Bishop Hudson expressed gratitude to everyone who had a part in preparing the wonderful celebration. He wished to thank in particular the Dean, Canon Mark O’Keeffe, for the way he coordinated all the arrangements and to all who worked with him to provide such a special celebration.
Bishop Hudson said that “the person for whom loudest thanks are surely due this day must be our outgoing Diocesan Administrator, Canon Paul Cummins.” He added: “Paul, it’s clear to me that the Diocese shall be in your eternal debt for the selfless way in which you’ve led the whole Diocesan community these last three and a half years. These last few weeks, I’ve experienced myself the quality of your leadership as you’ve done everything you possibly could to induct me. Paul, it’s clear, from all the reports I hear of your leadership, that what you have achieved has been simply outstanding. And I want you to know we salute you and we congratulate you.”
Bishop Hudson also said: “I’d like, in the same breath, to thank all those who’ve come alongside Paul so willingly to support him – the Curial Team for Mission, all who exercise particular responsibilities in the Diocese; and, in a special way, the Clergy. Dear Fathers, dear Deacons, I look forward to meeting you all in your Deaneries and then individually as soon as I able. I look forward to hearing what’s been your experience of these last several years; and what it tells us about the ways in which we might develop as a community of faith.”
Bishop Hudson spoke of his desire to visit the parishes and schools and other institutions across the three counties, quoting Pope Francis’s description of the bishop: “The bishop … will sometimes go before his people,” he suggests, “pointing the way and keeping their hope vibrant. At other times, he will simply be in their midst with his unassuming and merciful presence. At yet other times, he will have to walk after them, helping those who lag behind and – above all – allowing the flock to strike out on new paths.” He said “I look forward to being with you in all three places – but to beginning in your midst and hearing your aspirations for the Diocese. And I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible after this Mass and in the weeks and months to come.”
As the new Bishop of Plymouth, Bishop Hudson will lead a diocese that serves a Catholic population of approximately 11,293 across 57 parishes and 37 schools throughout the three counties.
He has chosen “In Te Domine Speramus – In you, O Lord, we hope” from Psalm 31 as his motto.
