Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster

(Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

May God grant his Grace widsom, piety, zeal for Christ and His Church and make the message of Salvation known to the whole land. Click here for the installation on BBC in I-player which is available soon. I watched the 'second half' live, with obligatory commentators.

The Mass was very beautiful and full of tender moments, such as the handover from Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor. The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz, gave the Apostolic Blessing of Pope Benedict XVI in a fine speech. Cardinal Cormac gave a speech wishing his successor all the best in a somewhat more informal and jovial manner.

The music was excellent and the Te Deum Laudamus at the end was sublime. Packed Cathedral. Great BBC coverage, when all is said and done. Beautiful camera-angles which really brought home the majesty of Westminster Cathedral. It was a nice touch that he prayed at the Tomb of Cardinal Hume. As well as that, I'd have liked to have seen him pray at the tomb of St John Southworth for the courage to face all trials to come, but hey, I guess he wasn't a Bishop...so, you can't have everything. Oh and Cardinal Mahony of LA was there too...How did he get in?! Not sure the liturgy will have been his cup of tea!

Here is the homily, which, alas, is rather woolly...but hopefully this is just the start and he will become more bold with his language later on. Enough of these 'nice' sermons! Dialogue with those who 'disagree' with Holy Mother Church. As a good priest told me recently. While dialogue is taking place, evil is triumphant.

HOMILY OF THE MOST REVEREND VINCENT NICHOLS AT THE MASS OF INSTALLATION AS ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

My brothers and sisters, I welcome you and I thank you all for coming to Westminster Cathedral today. I appreciate the presence and the prayers of each of you. I greet and thank the Apostolic Nuncio, here representing the Holy Father. Through him, I thank Pope Benedict for the confidence that he has placed in me in making this appointment and for his blessing as I take it up.

I thank the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl Marshal, for his presence and Lord Guthrie for representing the Prince of Wales. We are honoured that you are here. I am grateful also to Mr Paul Murphy, here representing the Prime Minister. I appreciate too the presence of politicians and civic leaders. I salute all the bishops, priests and deacons who are here, especially Their Eminences Cardinal Mahony from Los Angeles, Cardinal O'Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh and Cardinal Seán Brady from Armagh. I am so glad to see so many fellow church leaders and leaders of other Faiths, from the West Midlands and, of course, from London. I thank Archbishop Rowan for his gracious words of welcome, too. I thank the BBC for broadcasting this ceremony live on television and I greet all those joining us at home.

May I also express my deep appreciation to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor for the very warm welcome that he has given to me and for his unfailing encouragement and support. Much more importantly, on behalf of so many, I want to salute the tremendous contribution he has made both to the Diocese of Westminster and to the Catholic Church nationally and internationally in his years as Archbishop of Westminster. His leadership has been unflinching and often very courageous, and I know that he will always have a special place in our affections and prayers.

The readings of the Scriptures that we have heard today centre on the figure of St Paul and we have heard Paul's own account of his dramatic conversion to Christ on the road to Damascus. It is a story of great power and one from which we can draw much encouragement.

In the first place, we learn that Paul was, "a zealous believer in God". His conversion then was not to belief in God but to belief in God's full presence in Jesus Christ...[Click here for more...]