It is likely to be quite an interesting week in Rome. The gathering of the so-called C-8 group of cardinals, established by Pope Francis, is due to take place mid- week and then, on Saturday February 22, the Consistory to install the newly appointed cardinals will be held.

 Among those to be offered the red hat will be the current Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols.  Since the restoration of the Hierarchy in England, it has been traditional that the Archbishop of the Westminster diocese is offered the Cardinalate. It was a disappointment for the English Church that the Consistory that elected Francis did not have a voting English cardinal; Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, although very much a presence in Rome, was not eligible to vote due to his age.

 There are two important consequences arising from appointment to the College of Cardinals. The immediate effect is the message sent out by the Chair of Peter, through the choice of individuals and their geographical location.

 What we are seeing in this Consistory is a broadening of membership with more appointments beyond Europe and North America which is to be welcomed; gone the days of Italian domination and recognition at last of the global reach of the Church.

 The other, longer term effect, is on the make up of the electoral college that will be charged with the election of the successor to Pope Francis when that time comes. It might be felt that there is a need to reform the appointment of cardinals, but for as long as the present options persist, who is appointed and where they are from is significant, both now and in the future.

In England, Vincent Nichols has had a wide range of experience that he now brings to the table. From his boyhood on Merseyside, a loyal supporter then of Liverpool FC (and who still is), through his early years as a priest in the Liverpool archdiocese, to his time at the Upholland Adult Education Institute, Nichols did much of the ground work, both pastorally and academically to prepare  him for his later ministry. He moved to London where, as an auxiliary Bishop, he worked alongside Basil Hume. It was to Hume’s final resting place that he went to pray during his investiture as Archbishop of Westminster. He came to Westminster after nine years leading the Archdiocese of Birmingham, covering a considerable area in the Midlands of England. It was this diocese that Ullathorne led after his return to England from his years in Australia in the early Nineteenth Century.

 He established himself as a well-known voice in the media where his soft North West accent was often heard. Now only this weekend he has come out strongly against current Government policy on Welfare Reform. “Britain's most senior Catholic cleric has described the coalition's welfare reforms as a "disgrace" and said they have removed even the most basic safety net for those threatened by poverty and left society's most vulnerable facing "hunger and destitution". 
(Full story here in the Guardian 15 February 2014).

 His recent appointment by Francis to the Congregation for Bishops, will see the Archbishop of Westminster’s influence in the Church rise hugely. The appointment means that Vincent Nichols will take part in regular meetings at the powerful “Thursday table” in Rome to recommend Episcopal appointments. As Cardinal his influence in the coming years could be considerable.

A few years ago, the pub near Westminster Cathedral, in London, named “The Cardinal” in memory of Henry Manning, was going to change its name to The Windsor Castle. Nichols and others led the campaign in opposition. They were successful. The Cardinal remains the name of the pub and shortly Vincent Nichols, the boy from Crosby who still supports the Reds, becomes the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. May his time in office be blessed by the Lord.

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