Liverpool’s Archbishop-Elect Malcolm McMahon on challenges of new post

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday named the current bishop of Nottingham, Malcolm McMahon to be the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Liverpool. He succeeds Archbishop Patrick Kelly who stepped down last year. 46 percent of Liverpool’s population is Catholic, the highest percentage of any English city. In an interview with Vatican Radio's Susy Hodges Archbishop-Elect McMahon spoke of his reaction to his appointment, the challenges facing him in his new position and about his interests and hobbies.

Listen to the full interview with Archbishop-Elect Malcolm McMahon:

Asked for his reaction to his appointment, Archbishop-Elect McMahon spoke about how he was “very pleased to be called to serve” in Liverpool, saying he felt “this was the Lord moving me on to a new corner of his vineyard.”

Turning to the challenges facing him in his new position, Archbishop-Elect McMahon says one of main challenges is “to preach the gospel so that it appears relevant to people in their particular situations so they see the face of Christ on the people around them.” When it comes to issues like falling attendance at Mass, he believes it’s not just a question of focusing on the numbers but trying to discover the root cause and address it.

“What we have to do is to try to work out why the handing on of the Christian faith from generation to generation is breaking down and it’s to do with the nature and structure of family life.” For Archbishop-Elect McMahon, one of the biggest challenges here is “matching what we teach in the Church with the reality of everyday life and there’s a very big disconnect for many people.” Asked about his pastoral priorities, the newly-named Archbishop says it’s “all about the beatitudes” and putting them into practice in his life and mission.

Finally, when asked for a description of his own character and his interests and hobbies, Archbishop-Elect McMahon concedes: “I can be a bit grumpy sometimes but most of the time I’m a fairly happy sort of guy.” He named his hobbies, as golf, reading, going to concerts and trying to meet and talk to people as much as possible. “I like to wander about town, pop into these café bars, have a coffee, read the paper and chat to people. I’m that sort of person, I don’t like to be isolated and cut off from people.”