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The homily at Bishop Stephen Wang's Mass of Episcopal Ordination at Arundel Cathedral was given by the Most Reverend John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark (pictured above centre). Speaking to more than 600 people gathered at the cathedral and many more watching the Mass online, Archbishop John reflected on Bishop Stephen saying 'yes' to the Lord, the heavenly intercession of diocesan patron St Philip Howard, and the importance of proclaiming Christ "directly and indirectly, implicitly and explicitly, in word and in action."

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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

In a few moments, Stephen, you will be asked nine questions. They outline the service-shaped episcopal ministry you are to inhabit for the rest of your life. Everyone here – in this beautiful Cathedral, across this wonderful Diocese, and further afield - is praying that, to each of these questions, you will answer ‘I do.’

By responding positively, you are formally accepting what is asked of you as a bishop. More deeply, however, with all of us, you are embracing the truth that this is exactly where God wants you to be.

Having already said ‘yes’ to the Lord Jesus as a disciple, as a deacon, and as a priest, this new ‘yes’ is a further fulfilment of Christ’s call to you through his Church. In this sense, your ‘I do’ has a nuptial character. By the grace of episcopal ordination, the Lord Jesus invites you to expand your heart and intensify your love; to cherish his bride here in the local Church of Arundel & Brighton. Your ‘yes’ can only be a loving yes, a yes of faith and trust in the Lord who says to you today, “do not be anxious about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you.”[i]

‘Yes, Lord,’ you can say with humble confidence. ‘Yes, Lord,’ you can say accepting freely and fully the responsibilities of an episcopal good shepherd.  ‘Yes, Lord,’ you can say, with the apostle Peter, ‘you know that I love you. ’Your loving yes commits you to feeding, serving, and leading the people the Lord Jesus entrusts to your care as their Father in God.

Of course, all nine questions you will be asked today are important. They reflect different facets of the apostolic ministry you receive: through the laying on of hands, so that you might nourish God’s people; through the prayer of ordination which grants you “the governing Spirit;” and through holy anointing “to make you fruitful with an abundance of spiritual blessing.”[ii] I would, however, like to explore one of these questions in more depth; the second one: “Do you resolve to proclaim the Gospel of Christ faithfully and unfailingly?”[iii]

The proclamation of the Gospel of Christ is so absolutely foundational that every other component of the Church’s mission depends upon it.

Through the Good News of salvation, Christ illumines the truth of our human dignity, the aspirations of our human desire, and the beauty of our human destiny. His Gospel offers answers to what Dostoevsky called the ‘accursed questions:’ What is the meaning of life, death, suffering, and love, and where does God fit into it all?[iv]

God fits into it all through his Son. Christ is the radiant light who yearns to love us and share with us fullness of life. Christ is the radiant light who longs to bring us healing and leads us forward in hope. Christ is the radiant light for every person searching for purpose and identity. When Zacchaeus was called down from his sycamore tree by Jesus, a new relationship began that changed his life. Our proclamation of Christ is always at the service of enabling a personal encounter with Christ. Above all, and through all, your episcopal ministry is to be a radical proclamation of Christ’s radiant light through which he loves and forgives.

Today, Stephen, St Philip Howard becomes your heavenly intercessor in a new way. In very different circumstances, he too faced the decisive question of what it means to proclaim the Gospel of Christ with the fullness of Catholic faith; and he knew the cost of being dragged before courts to account for his belief. Please God, our experience will not be his, although the episcopate does bring its own splinters of martyrdom.

St Philip’s conviction concerning the paramount proclamation of Christ sustained his witness. In his cell, in the Tower of London, he engraved three inscriptions on the wall which are still present today.

The first inscription was some words attributed to St Ambrose of Milan: “The more suffering in this world for Christ’s sake, the more glory with Christ in the next.”[v] These are good words for a new bishop to take to heart; not to glorify suffering, but to remind you that you lay yourself down for Christ’s sake; that you sacrifice yourself for his Gospel; that you give yourself away as a servant for his people.

As Earl of Arundel, St Philip’s second inscription was that of his name – “Arundell.” Another bishop, St Francis de Sales, reminds us the “most adorable and lovable heart of our Master, burning with the love which he professes to us, [is] a heart on which all our names are written.”[vi] This is a “profound consolation” for every disciple, and not least for a new bishop. Know, Stephen, that you are loved by the Lord who carries your name on his heart.[vii] 

The third powerful sign St Philip carved on his prison cell wall was a small image of a crucifix, about the size of the pectoral cross you will wear throughout your episcopal ministry. You are to enflesh the proclamation of Christ inclusively in caring for all the people of this Diocese; and in a special way, through your care for your clergy. Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, joyfully manifest his risen life through your apostolic witness.[viii]

To proclaim Christ is why the Church exists: to evangelise.[ix] This happens directly and indirectly, implicitly and explicitly, in word and in action. We believe, and therefore we speak. We believe, and therefore we love. We believe, and therefore we serve. The first Christian communities worshipped and prayed together; they shared their faith through personal testimony about Jesus; they had a special concern for the weakest and the poorest. The simplicity of the apostolic age, and its passion for mission, is to be rediscovered today.

Dear Bishop-elect Stephen, everything you undertake through this new configuration to Christ, as his bishop, is so that it might be seen “that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” [x] May Our Blessed Lady continue to accompany you and teach you to say afresh each day, “let it be done to be according to your word.”[xi] Through you, beloved brother, may “grace extend to more and more people,” that “it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God.”[xii]

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Many thanks to Southwark Diocese for sharing Archbishop John's text with us.

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References

[i] Mt. 10:19.

[ii] From the Rite of Ordination of Bishops.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Michel Evdokimov, FatherAlexander Men: Martyr of Atheism (Leominster: Gracewing, 2011), 42.

[v] Philip Caraman SJ, StPhilip Howard (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1976), 22.

[vi] Pope Francis, DilexitNos: On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ (London:Catholic Truth Society, 2025), no. 115.

[vii] Cf. Dilexit Nos, no.115.

[viii] Cf 2 Cor 4: 10.

[ix] Paul VI, EvangeliiNuntiandi (London: Catholic Truth Society, year of edition), no. 14.

[x] 2 Cor 4: 7.

[xi] Lk 1:38.

[xii] 2 Cor 4:15

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