A
priest of the Diocese of Leeds for over 40 years, Bishop Moger has,
until now, served as an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of
Southwark.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops'
Conference of England and Wales and Archbishop of Westminster sent this
message:
"I congratulate the Right Reverend Philip Moger on his appointment as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Plymouth. He will bring experience and wisdom to that diocese although his moving is a loss to the Archdiocese of Southwark.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Canon Paul Cummins who has led the diocese over the last two years. I thank him most sincerely for the contributions he has made not only to the Diocese of Plymouth but also to the working of the Bishops' Conference of England in Wales."
Archbishop John Wilson
Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark, said: "On behalf of everyone in
our Archdiocese of Southwark, I would like to extend our heartfelt
congratulations to Bishop Philip Moger on his appointment by our Holy
Father as the new Bishop of Plymouth.
"Bishop Philip's many
gifts, and his warmth and kindness, have been so very much appreciated
during his 18 months with us as an Auxiliary Bishop.
"We thank
him for all he has done in Southwark and assure him of our prayers and
best wishes for his new ministry. May Christ the Good Shepherd continue
to bless him and all those he will serve."
Following the news of
his appointment, Bishop Moger said: "I'm very honoured to be asked by
Pope Francis to be the 10th Bishop of this great Diocese of Plymouth. I
know that the diocese has been without a bishop for the last two years,
so I am very grateful to Canon Paul Cummins, who has administered the
diocese during the vacancy so ably and generously, and all who have
supported him. I look forward to visiting and getting to know the
clergy, religious and lay faithful in this beautiful part of the Lord's
vineyard.
"At the same time. I shall very much miss the
Archdiocese of Southwark, where I've been privileged to minister for the
last 18 months. The Archbishop, my fellow Auxiliary Bishop, clergy,
religious and lay faithful quickly took me to themselves and gave me
their love, friendship and encouragement."
he Diocesan
Administrator for the Diocese of Plymouth, Canon Paul Cummins commented:
"We welcome Bishop-elect Philip to the Diocese of Plymouth as our new
shepherd. The faith community of the southwest has been well-served by
its predecessors, and we are confident that our Bishop-elect will
continue their legacy.
"Bishop-elect Philip, you have our full
support as you prepare to join us here. We pray that all the saints of
the Diocese of Plymouth walk with you each step of the way. Know that a
warm welcome and our prayers await you as you take up your new role
among God's people. We look forward to your arrival."
Born in
1955, Bishop-elect Philip Moger grew up in Halifax, Yorkshire. His
mother died when he was five and he was raised by his grandmother and
father. He began his working life in banking and then entered St
Cuthbert's Seminary at Ushaw in County Durham to begin studies for the
priesthood.
He was ordained for the Diocese of Leeds in 1982 and
was appointed an assistant priest at St Urban's, Headingley, also
serving as a chaplain to the local school, a Sue Ryder home and a
hospital for people with learning difficulties. In 1985 he was appointed
to the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Ilkley to serve the renewal of
parishes and schools.
In 1992 he was appointed an assistant at
Leeds Cathedral and was also appointed as Vocations Director. He served
as bishop's secretary and as a parish priest in parishes in Bradford and
Leeds.
In 2008, he returned to Leeds Cathedral as Dean. He was
appointed a Prelate of Honour, with the title Monsignor, and
subsequently a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter. He chaired the Diocese of
Leeds Liturgical Commission, was Director of Liturgy of the Diocese of
Leeds Lourdes Pilgrimage and was also responsible for the liturgies
during the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Great Britain in 2010.
In September 2020, he took up the appointment as the Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk.
In February 2023, he became an Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark.
The
date for Bishop-elect Philip Moger's Installation as Diocesan Bishop is
Saturday 9 November at the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface,
Plymouth.