Latest News Installation of Bishop Stephen Wright in Hexham & Newcastle Bishop Stephen Wright will be installed as the Fifteenth Bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle on Wednesday 19 July at 1pm. The Mass will be live streamed from St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne. His Holiness Pope Francis made the appointment on June 14. Bishop Stephen has served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham since his ordination in 2000 and since 2020 as Auxiliary Bishop, serving the Episcopal Area of Staffordshire, the Black Country and Wolverhampton. Let us keep Bishop Stephen in our prayers as he takes on his new appointment. Watch live stream 14/6/23: A Message from Bishop Stephen to the Archdiocese of Birmingham Dear Sisters and Brothers, I ask for your prayers as it is announced that Pope Francis has appointed me Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Diocese. The news came as a shock to me. My new Diocese has had a very painful recent history so please keep the people and clergy in your prayers. I trust in God’s grace and although sad to leave my home Archdiocese, I look forward to unknown joys ahead in the North-East. I am very sorry to clergy and teachers who in recent days may have felt I was being absent in post. I could not explain why. It has been very challenging juggling commitments and talking about a pastoral future I will not now share with you. I will be moving to live in Newcastle upon Tyne in early July with my Installation Mass set for Wednesday 19 July. Invitations and details will follow. I will do my best to honour liturgical commitments until 2 July here in the Archdiocese. From that date onwards I am sorry I will not be available. An enormous prayerful thank you to you all. With prayers and blessings, + Stephen Bishop Stephen's appointment Manage Cookie Preferences