Following the Mass in Thanksgiving for Cardinal Vincent Nichols, we’re reflecting on his incredible leadership of Catholic social action during his time as Archbishop of Westminster — in our diocese and beyond.
Spurred by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the UK in 2010, Cardinal Nichols led the Bishops of England and Wales in discerning how best to encourage social action among the faithful; a process that unfolded over several months that included theological discussions, consultation with field experts, civil servants and parliamentarians, and close collaboration with charities like the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN).
At the first of these gatherings in 2011, the Cardinal emphasised the opportunities presented by a strong network of Catholic charity:
Catholic social action takes place quietly and on a much greater scale than many realise. We have at the heart of our theology a word which beautifully describes this practical expression of Christian love – Caritas. My hope and prayer for the work we are doing… in the coming months is that this idea of Caritas will become more visibly the shared inspiration for Catholic social action in England and Wales.
The following year saw the formal creation of Caritas Westminster; combining more focused support for parish-based social action and several initiatives already present in our diocese; support for the Deaf community, people with intellectual disabilities and those experiencing domestic abuse. In a 2012 lecture, Cardinal Nichols spoke movingly about the importance of structured support for charitable activity:
This is faith finding a voice on every street corner, in the kitchen and in the workplace, among friends and strangers, in every part of the broad pathway of life… it is appropriate that, as a Church, we seek to serve this witness of charity a little more systematically. This we are doing through the development of “Caritas”, a pattern of support and networking which has recognition in so many countries and which help to develop the local work of charity and enable it to find a voice.
14 years later, Caritas Westminster is the second-largest Caritas agency in England and Wales, supporting people across our diocese who are particularly vulnerable to exclusion through poverty, disability, isolation and exploitation. Our dedicated support for parishes and schools continues to grow, and now sits alongside six direct services. Cardinal Nichols has played a central role throughout our history; helping us to model authentic, Catholic responses to social issues here in our own diocese.
Local challenges, local solutions
Speaking at a CSAN Parliamentary Reception in November 2012, Cardinal Nichols observed that ‘we must strive to ensure that a safety net is always in place to protect essentials such as food and shelter for those who fall on hard times.’
In Lent 2019, the Cardinal himself launched a response to the acute levels of food poverty and financial insecurity parts of his diocese, commissioning Caritas Westminster to launch a targeted initiative aimed at growing the response and engagement of parishioners across the diocese to the issue.
What began as a three-year endeavour is now in its seventh year, and Caritas Westminster continues to be available to support the over 300 food projects running across the diocese. In 2020, we introduced a highly successful voucher scheme; allowing parishes and schools to distribute vouchers that can be used to purchase food, essential items, or cover energy bills. Since its inception, the scheme has supported over 30,000 people.
Start-ups for social change
At the same CSAN conference, Cardinal Nichols also spoke of the need ‘to tackle unemployment and in-work poverty’, as well as ‘to mitigate the lifelong damage that is all too frequently the consequence of a childhood spent in acute family poverty.’
In this spirit, Caritas Westminster would later launch our innovative Seeds Hub; a start-up incubator supporting entrepreneurs facing socioeconomic inequality. The aim was simple: to empower local business founders, break cycles of poverty, and promote access to dignified, fulfilling work.
Since being opened by the Cardinal in 2019, Seeds Hub has supported over 300 businesses, each designed to have a positive social impact. Following the success of our first hub in Wembley, 2025 saw the expansion of our signature start-up training programmes into Hackney, where we supported a new cohort of entrepreneurs in partnership with Bootstrap Charity.
The fight against human trafficking
In 2014, Cardinal Nichols led the Bishops’ Conference in organising a landmark international conference on combating human trafficking, described by Pope Francis in his opening address as ‘an open wound on the body of contemporary society [and] a scourge upon the body of Christ.’
A central figure in the Church’s response to this issue, the Cardinal’s efforts would have a local as well as global impact. In 2015, he asked the Metropolitan Police how the Church in Westminster could support the cause. Their answer was clear: a safe house for female survivors of trafficking, where guests could stay for as long as they needed to begin the process of recovery.
In June of the same year, Caritas Bakhita House opened its doors, and has since offered personalised, round-the-clock support to more than 220 women and 19 babies. To mark the safe house’s tenth anniversary in 2025, the Cardinal offered a Mass of Thanksgiving in Westminster Cathedral, and spoke movingly of the centre’s life-changing work:
‘If we look at the record, the achievements of [Caritas] Bakhita House; it’s a big family. It sustains people after they no longer stay; it’s helped, protected and nurtured their children. It’s built women with confidence to testify and therefore to have the traders in human flesh behind bars. That’s growth, that’s fruitfulness, that’s healing.’
Lasting impact
Speaking about the Cardinal’s role in the development of Caritas, Raymond Friel, CEO of CSAN, said:
Cardinal Vincent has always been supportive of social action in England and Wales, reminding us often of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching which underpin our work. I am grateful in particular for his pioneering work… in combatting human trafficking, work which CSAN will now take on. I also have fond memories of his initiative in helping to welcome Little Amal — a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl — when she came to England. Our involvement with this project did much to raise awareness of the plight of refugees and asylum-seekers. All at Caritas Social Action Network wish Cardinal Vincent every blessing in his retirement.
Richard Harries, Director of Caritas Westminster, paid tribute to the Cardinal’s legacy here in the Diocese of Westminster:
Over his 17 years as Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Nichols embodied his firm conviction that ‘Faith finds a convincing voice through the work of practical goodness.’ Today, and for many years to come, Caritas Westminster will strive to continue being the “voice of charity” in our parishes, schools and diocesan communities. Cardinal Nichols’ inspiration and leadership has sustained our work at every step, and we are immensely grateful for the many ways he has enriched and supported our mission.
Addressing His Eminence on behalf of the faithful at the end of the Mass in Thanksgiving for the Cardinal’s ministry, Bishop James Curry highlighted Caritas as a core aspect of the Cardinal’s legacy:
Thank you for your leadership, your commitment to the gospel of life, and your care and governance of our diocese. I think particularly of your work establishing Caritas in our diocese; responding to the needs of those who so often are at the periphery and forgotten in our society.
