Operation Noah warmly welcomes the appointment of the Rt Revd Richard Moth as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most senior Catholic leader in England and Wales. 

As Chair of the Department of Social Justice for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Archbishop Moth has been a steadfast voice for justice both at home and overseas. We particularly celebrate his prophetic leadership during his time as Bishop of Arundel & Brighton, where his diocese became one of the first in the UK to divest from fossil fuels in 2020.

We pray that Archbishop Moth’s leadership will inspire Catholic dioceses to follow his example, aligning their investments with the urgent need to protect our common home. 

Currently, the Catholic Church in England and Wales remains the only major Christian denomination in the UK yet to divest from fossil fuels, with seven of its dioceses still without a divestment commitment. 

Yet we celebrate the recent call by the Catholic bishops in England and Wales for the UK government to sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and look forward to seeing this advocacy grow.

Clare Fussell, Operation Noah Campaign Director, said: ‘We extend our congratulations to the Rt Revd Richard Moth. We pray that his ministry will be defined by a commitment to climate justice. We look forward to his leadership bringing renewed hope and a sense of urgency through the prioritisation of care for our common home.’ 

Operation Noah offers our prayers and support to the Archbishop in this new chapter and look forward to walking alongside him in the shared mission of serving God’s creation and the Church.