Leo XIV Promotes Sponsor of "Rainbow Eucharists"
In June, Leo XIV made him a member of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.
In July, Leo XIV named him a member of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
Today, Leo XIV appointed him a consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. It is part of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and is led by Cardinal Kurt Koch.
Monsignor Longley was ordained a priest in 1981. John Paul II made him an auxiliary Bishop of Westminster in 2003.
In 2007, he helped integrate the "Soho Masses Pastoral Council" into the Archdiocese of Westminster. This group holds special Eucharists for practising homosexuals. At the time, it was a huge scandal.
In an interview with the BBC, he justified the Eucharists for practising homosexuals, stating that it has "never been the practice of the Catholic Church to 'means-test' people before admitting them to the celebration of the Eucharist. It would be a mistake to jump to conclusions or generalise about anyone's lifestyle or state of grace", he added.
On 1 October 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Birmingham.
In May 2023, Monsignor Longley expressed gratitude for the 'insightful feedback' received from the 'LGBTQ+ community' during synodal processes. They had complained about tensions because of their "loving relationships". In response, Archbishop Longley organised a special event for people from the LGBTQ+ community.
Furthermore, on 10 May 2025, a homosexual Eucharist was celebrated at St Patrick’s Church in Coventry.
The Eucharist is part of diocesan working group for homosexuals that was “formed at the request of Archbishop Bernard Longley”, writes the Archdiocesan website.
Archbishop Longley noted about the rainbow Eucharist: “It is so important that everyone should feel welcome in the family of the Church within our Archdiocese." He added: "I pray that this initiative will enable us to offer appropriate accompaniment and encouragement, so that the Church’s teaching on holiness of life may draw all Catholics closer to Christ."
In May 2025, Archbishop Longley was elected Vice President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
Picture: Bernard Longley © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsRispsqoxzo