Donate
Pope Leo XIV appointed Fr Stephen Wang as the new Bishop of Arundel & Brighton on Thursday 2 July 2026. Bishop-elect Stephen will be installed as the sixth Bishop of our Diocese at Arundel Cathedral on Monday 19 October.
“For many of us”, he writes, “the word ‘bishop’ immediately recalls a familiar figure at the altar, wearing a mitre and carrying a crozier. But the ministry of a bishop is about much more than the visible signs of his office. At its heart, it is a ministry of service, responsibility, and care for God's people.
"The Bible often uses the image of a shepherd to describe those entrusted with caring for God's people. A shepherd knows his flock, watches over it, guides it and seeks its good: this is a useful image for understanding the ministry of a Bishop.
"A bishop is not simply the person 'in charge' of a diocese. Through episcopal ordination, when he is ordained as a bishop, he receives the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and is entrusted with a particular ministry among the people of God: he is called to teach, to sanctify (make holy) and to shepherd the people of the diocese entrusted to his care.
"The bishop’s ministry of teaching means proclaiming the Gospel and helping the people of all ages and backgrounds to grow in their understanding of the Catholic faith. His ministry of sanctifying is expressed particularly through the celebration of the sacraments and the life of prayer and worship of the Church. The ministry of shepherding means accompanying God's people, encouraging them in faith and seeking to strengthen the communion of the whole diocese.
"The ministry of a bishop also connects us with the Church's beginnings. Bishops are successors of the Apostles, continuing the ministry that Christ entrusted to them, which has been handed on through the Church across the generations. This means a bishop's ministry is never an isolated one: he serves in communion with the priests and deacons of the diocese and with all the baptised — lay people as well as those who exercise ordained and religious life ministry. Each person has a part to play in the life and mission of the Church.
"Likewise, a diocese is not an independent Church, existing on its own. A bishop serves his 'particular Church' in communion with the Pope and with bishops throughout the universal Church. The diocese is part of something much larger: the one Catholic Church gathered around Christ.
So, as we look towards welcoming Bishop Stephen, we are not simply preparing to welcome a new diocesan leader: we are preparing to welcome someone who has been called to this very specific ministry among us."
Space within Arundel Cathedral is limited, with attendance at the Mass of Episcopal Ordination by invitation only. People across our parishes and schools are warmly encouraged to join the celebration at 12 noon online, by watching the Cathedral’s livestream.
