Bishop Hudson celebrates first Mass at Plymouth Cathedral

Image: Mazur/CBCEW

Source: CBCEW

In his first public Mass as Bishop of Plymouth at the Cathedral Church of St Mary & St Boniface, on Advent Sunday 30th November 2025, the Right Reverend Nicholas Hudson called for prayers for peace in the land of Jesus's birth, and for all those places where there is strife and suffering, particularly South Sudan and Ukraine.

The bishop also urged the congregation to pray for themselves during Advent, for those nearest and dearest to them and for all those who find themselves in real need. He said "I'm so happy to be with you at last; and to be embarking with you on this my first Advent in Plymouth" and asked everyone to pray for our diocese, "as we embark upon this new chapter together."

In his homily, Bishop Nicholas reflected on Advent as a time of "triple coming" - Christ's birth in Bethlehem, His coming to us in daily life, and His coming to take us home at the end of our lives. He reminded the congregation that Jesus tells us to "stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

The bishop invited the congregation to prepare by putting on Christ - setting themselves close to him in prayer. He suggested that during Advent, those who already pray daily might find a second time to deepen their closeness to Christ.

Speaking of Plymouth Diocese's long wait for a new bishop, he said: "Plymouth Diocese's waiting for a new Bishop has been a very long Advent. Now the work begins - together to deepen our waiting on the Lord, asking him to show us how he calls us to be more the Diocese, the Church he wishes and calls and yearns for us to be." The bishop shared that his episcopal motto "In te Domine speramus" - "In you, O Lord, we place our hope" - captures both hope and trust, noting that these qualities are so close that hope is often translated in the Psalms as trust.

In a brief address after Mass, Bishop Nicholas shared his personal connection to the West Country, sharing that his father had deep roots in the region. He recalled how his father, a lifelong Plymouth Argyle supporter, settled here when he was just 4 - first in Parkstone, Poole, then here in Crownhill; he went to school in Yelverton and then in Bodmin. He took Bishop Nicholas and his brothers on many holidays across the Diocese. Such was his father's love for Plymouth Argyle that the very last thing he said before he died was, "The Argyle did all right last night, didn't they?"!

The bishop also shared his eagerness to get to know the three counties, particularly their Catholic communities and institutions, and to explore with them how Synodality can help the Church grow and draw more people to Christ. He noted: "One thing I've noticed about Synodal conversations is how they bring out people's love for the Church. I sense a great love for the Church here in our Diocese, in the way people have welcomed me both here at the Cathedral and across Plymouth Diocese."

Bishop Nicholas concluded: "I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible as you take your leave of the Cathedral after Mass; and to getting to know you... as we set out together on this next chapter in the life of the Diocese."

Bishop Nicholas paid tribute to St Cuthbert Mayne, the diocesan patron whose feast was celebrated over the Installation weekend. He shared how the saint had served freely for over a year on the estates of Francis Tregian in Probus, Cornwall, passing by day as a steward and by night wearing the vestments of a priest. Bishop Nicholas described the moment of St Cuthbert's arrest in the gardens of Golden Manor, where the High Sheriff of Cornwall discovered him in possession of two forbidden objects: a papal bull and an Agnus Dei - a wax image of the Lamb of God worn around the neck. The saint was then imprisoned in Launceston Castle and executed by hanging, drawing and quartering.

Developing this theme, Bishop Nicholas explained that by bearing that image around his neck, St Cuthbert Mayne had literally "put on Christ" as St Paul urges in the reading to the Romans. The bishop spoke of the vision foretold by the prophet Isaiah, of how "the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains ... and all the nations shall flow to it." He noted that the Book of Revelation expands on this vision, revealing that at the heart of the heavenly Jerusalem we shall see the Lamb of God himself.

In a personal reflection, Bishop Nicholas shared his experience of seeing Van Eyck's depiction of the Mystic Lamb in Ghent, Belgium with his parents, who have since died, saying: "Now they see with their own eyes the scene we looked upon together." He reflected on how, as they waited, so now do we - for the Lamb to take us to himself and to join our loved ones who have gone before us.

In this time of Advent, the bishop encouraged people to go to Confession. He quoted Pope Francis's encouraging words: "Just ask yourself, 'How long is it since my last Confession? Two weeks? Two months? Two years? Twenty years? Forty years?' However long it is, just go! And you'll feel so much better for it." Bishop Nicholas reminded parishioners that it is Christ himself who waits to meet them in Confession, adding: "He knows your sins already but he wants you to own them and to know his forgiveness."

The bishop explained that when we have the courage to confess, we find ourselves receiving the strength to resist temptation. He gave a practical example: when we confess our tendency to judge, we find ourselves strengthened not to judge, and also to gently challenge others when they are judgemental - "to match their negative with a positive."

Reflecting on Pope Francis opening the Jubilee of Hope with an appeal to hope and trust specifically in God's forgiveness, Bishop Nicholas said: "There is hope for each of us. God forgives everything. Do not forget this since it is an important way of understanding hope in the Lord." He added that there is no better way to close this Jubilee of Hope than to turn back in hope and trust to our loving Father and confess our sins.

The full homily and address after Mass are available on the Plymouth Diocesan website: www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk