Representatives of the Catholic Church in England and Wales joined 26 other “extraordinary organisations” in affirming their allegiance to King Charles in a special audience last week.
The audience, held on 9 March at Buckingham palace, is part of a tradition stretching back to the 17th century where delegations from “privileged bodies” – of which the Catholic Church is one – present “loyal addresses” to the reigning monarch on special occasions.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, led a twelve-person Catholic delegation at the audience consisting of bishops, parish secretaries, headteachers, chaplains, charity workers and vowed religious.
The head of environment at the Diocese of Salford, Dr Emma Gardner, was also a member of the delegation, illustrating the increased importance of environmental advocacy to the work of the Church.
Giving a “loyal address” to the King “on behalf of the Catholic community in England and Wales”, Cardinal Nichols promised that the late Queen was remembered in the prayers of Catholics.
“We rejoice in your accession,” Cardinal Nichols said, praising the King’s commitment to environmental protections, poverty relief, and to ending religious persecution.
Referring to a speech given by the King to faith leaders last year, the Cardinal said that the “principles of freedom of conscience, generosity of spirit and care for others” that King Charles saw as “the essence of our nationhood” were values “held dear” by Catholics.
The privileged bodies include faith groups such as the General Synod of the Church of England or the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, representatives from Britain's oldest universities and several royal societies.
In his response to the addresses made by these delegations, the King expressed his “deepest gratitude” to those who spoke.
He said: “You remind us of an essential truth that a nation’s wealth and strength can be found, beyond the size of its economy or its place in the geopolitical landscape, in the values that it embodies – mutual respect, diversity, tolerance, fairness and friendship.”
The last gathering of the privileged bodies took place over a decade ago on the celebration of the late Queen’s diamond jubilee in 2012.
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