The new Archbishop of Liverpool has responded to the shocking events that occurred yesterday in the city, commenting in his first homily as archbishop at the Mass of Installation today.
"The shadow of the Cross has fallen again over Liverpool in the tragic and appalling events of last night," Archbishop-elect John Sherrington said during the service at Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King marking his investiture as the new Archbishop of Liverpool.
Dozens of people celebrating the Liverpool football team winning the Premier League title required hospital treatment after a car ploughed into the crowd taking part in the victory day parade yesterday, 26 May.
"The city wakes up this morning, experiencing that cross. The joy of the day turned to deep sadness, and many families have been effected by the trauma of those events," the new archbishop said.
"We pray for all those who have been injured and those working to save life in hospitals. We are grateful for the work of emergency services.
"While we see the dreadful images, I know that the people of Liverpool will unite together and be close to those who are suffering.
"This is part of who we are. Let us pray and work to build peace together. This is a gift which comes at the end from Christ, who said, 'Peace be with you.'"
He added: "At the same time, we gather today in the hope that the light of Christ will shine into the darkness of people’s lives, just as it pours its many colors into this great Cathedral which is often described as the ‘soul of the city’.
“This light in all its colours dispels the darkness that clouds people’s lives, takes away hope and diminishes them,” Liverpool's new archbishop said.
Thousands of Catholics of all ages from across the archdiocese had been expected to gather at the cathedral to celebrate the investiture of a new Archbishop of Liverpool, which coincides with the Feast of St Augustine of Canterbury.
Also attending were the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía; Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales; along with bishops and clergy from across England and Wales and civic leaders and representatives from other faiths.
The driver of the vehicle that collided with the victory parade, a 53-year-old man, has been arrested, and has been described by police as “white” and “British”.
Four children are among the 47 people injured after a car drove into a crowd at the victory parade for Liverpool football team on Monday evening, <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/liverpool-parade-latest-news-today-7x39w78mj"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"> </mark>The Times</em> of London.
Two people, including a child, were seriously hurt, while 27 people required hospital treatment. Four were reported as “very ill in hospital” in the immediate aftermath, according to Liverpool’s metro mayor.
The driver is said to have “panicked and put his foot down” after tailgating an ambulance into the busy city centre street, <em>The Times</em> reports.
The incident in the football-devoted city has raised terrible echoes of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that befell Liverpool football club and its supporters 36 years ago, when 97 fans lost their lives during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest when a huge and fatal crowd crush occurred.
<a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/liverpool-gets-new-archbishop-as-city-grapples-with-chaos-after-car-ploughs-into-crowd/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"><strong><em>RELATED: Liverpool gets new archbishop as city grapples with chaos after car ploughs into crowd</em></strong></mark></a>
<em>Photo: Police officers and emergency vehicles at the the scene of the incident in Water Street, Liverpool, 26 May 2025. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images.)</em>
.jpg)
