Richard Moth

The Right Reverend Richard Moth
Bishop of Arundel and Brighton
See	Arundel and Brighton
Appointed	21 March 2015
Installed	28 May 2015
Predecessor	Kieran Conry
Other posts	Bishop of the Forces (2009-2015)
Orders
Ordination	3 July 1982
Consecration	29 September 2009 by Kevin John Patrick McDonald
Personal details
Birth name	Charles Phillip Richard Moth
Born	8 July 1958 Chingola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
Parents	Charles and Barbara Moth

Charles Phillip Richard Moth (born 8 July 1958) is a British Roman Catholic prelate. Since May 2015, he has served as the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton. Previously, he was Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Southwark from 2001 to 2009, and the Bishop of the Forces from 2009 to 2015.

Early life

Charles Phillip Richard Moth was born in 1958 in Chingola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and immigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of two. He was educated at The Judd School in Tonbridge, Kent. He trained for the priesthood at St John's Seminary, Wonersh.^[1]

Ordained ministry

Priesthood (1982-2009)

Moth was ordained to the priesthood (Catholic Church) on 3 July 1982.^[1] He served as Curate at St Bede's, Clapham Park and as a judge at the Southwark Metropolitan Tribunal before being sent to do further study in Ottawa, gaining a Licentiate and then a Master's in Canon Law. In 1987 he returned to Southwark and was curate at St Saviour's, Lewisham, during which appointment he was also a Territorial Army chaplain, serving with 217 General Hospital RAMC (V).^[1]

In 1992, Archbishop Michael Bowen named him as his Private Secretary, serving concurrently as Vocations Director and Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese. Moth was named a Monsignor to the degree of Papal Chaplain in 1998. In 2001, upon the elevation of the Vicar General, Mgr Canon John Hine, to be an Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, Moth was named Vicar General and Chancellor of the Archdiocese, with the new post he was promoted to be a Prelate of Honour.^[1]

Episcopate (2009-)

In July 2009, Moth was appointed Bishop of the Forces by Pope Benedict XVI. He stepped down as Vicar General of Southwark and was succeeded by Mgr. Matthew Dickens in September 2009. He was consecrated bishop on 29 September 2009, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, in Westminster Cathedral. Archbishop Kevin McDonald was principal consecrator, with Archbishop Michael Bowen and Bishop Tom Burns as principal co-consecrators. Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Cardinals Cormac Murphy-O'Connor and Keith O'Brien were present in choir.^[2] His time as Bishop of the Forces ended in 2015 when he was translated to a different see.^[3]

On 21 March 2015, Moth was announced as the next Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, having been appointed by Pope Francis.^[1] He was installed on 28 May 2015.^[4]

References

1. "Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Richard Moth as the New Bishop of Arundel and Brighton". Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
2. Ordination of Mgr Richard Moth as Catholic Bishop of the Forces from Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, 29 September 2009, 21 March 2015
3. "Installation of Bishop Richard Moth". Bishopric of the Forces. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
4. "CatholicHerald.co.uk » Bishop to Arundel and Brighton: at times of weakness we must focus on Christ". www.catholicherald.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-25.

Bibliography

• Bishop-elect Richard Moth. Archdiocese of Southwark. Retrieved on 12 September 2009.
• Charles Phillip Richard Moth. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 12 September 2009.
• New Bishop of the Forces. Catholic Church in England and Wales. Retrieved on 12 September 2009.
• Bishop Richard Moth. Catholic Church in England and Wales. Retrieved on 12 September 2009.