The first English Dominican cardinal since the convert Cardinal Philip Howard in the 17th century, and the first Englishman ever to serve as Master of the Order of Preachers, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is a symbol of Catholicism’s resurgence in the United Kingdom after centuries of persecution. Like St John Henry Newman before him, he was granted a papal dispensation from episcopal consecration before being made a Cardinal Deacon in December 2024 and was the only non-bishop to participate in the 2025 conclave. He was also granted a papal dispensation from wearing cardinalatial dress and retains his simple Dominican habit.
Cardinal Radcliffe is a prolific author, having published 10 books on Christian spirituality which have appeared in 24 languages, and has led countless retreats, notably the preparatory retreats for the Synod on Synodality in 2023 and 2024.
In this interview, he reflects on his more than 60 years as a Dominican and 55 years as a priest. From his uniquely advantageous position, he explains the spiritual motivations behind the synodal process and addresses some of the criticisms levelled against it. He also offers advice to the growing cohort of young Catholics who feel discouraged by the Church’s hierarchy over their attachment to the Vetus Ordo and gives some practical tips for those wanting to incorporate Dominican spirituality into their own lives.
AV: As a Dominican for more than 60 years and a priest for more than 50, could you share with us your journey to becoming Master of the Dominican Order and, later, a cardinal? How has the Lord sustained you throughout these years of service to the Church?
CR: We ask in the Lord’s Prayer for “our daily bread”. So much that has nourished me during these many years has come through listening. First of all, silence at the beginning of the day. One of my fellow novices and a good friend taught me the profound beauty of being silently in God’s presence. Often I do not have much idea of what happens in these times, but I cannot do without them!
Secondly, I was a university chaplain when I received a totally unexpected request to come and teach the Scriptures in our study house in Oxford. I was ill prepared, but it was the best thing that could have happened to me: twelve years of immersion in the Word of God, which is always fresh and new.
Finally, of course, the gift of friendship with so many people: my brothers and sisters, lay people, people from all over the world.
AV: Having led the preparatory retreats for the Synod on Synodality in 2023 and 2024, could you explain the spiritual motivations behind the synodal process?
CR: Pope Francis, like Pope Benedict before him, believed that our faith is founded on the encounter with the Lord. Benedict liked to say that ours is not a religion of the Book but of encounter. One way in which we encounter the Lord is in opening ourselves to each other. This is the heart of synodality. It is not a form of government or a way of reaching consensus with each other, but of opening ourselves to the presence of the Lord: ‘where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ So it is inseparable from coming alive in God.
AV: One criticism of the process is that many Catholics remain unsure about what synodality means. Some traditional Catholics have also been reluctant to participate, leading to concerns that the process has not achieved the level of lay involvement originally intended. How would you respond to Catholics who remain sceptical of the process?
CR: You are right. Many people, even some who took part in the Assemblies of the Synod, have not grasped what it is about. So in many dioceses the People of God have had no proper experience of its joy and beauty. Many people fear that synodality will lead to the rejection of the Church’s tradition. But that is not at all its purpose. It is not about conforming to modernity, but about becoming truly counter-cultural, opposed to a contemporary culture which sees human beings as consumers. Synodality invites us to see each other as made in the image and likeness of God, each given a share in the Spirit and a word to share.
Some priests fear that if they give authority to the laity, they will lose their own authority. But the opposite is the case. If we do not give authority to the experience of the People of God, their sensus fidei, the clergy will lose authority. The Spirit of God moves in us all.
AV: The Dominicans in the UK appear to be bucking national trends, with an increase in vocations. What is it about the life of the friars that continues to attract young men while many other religious orders are experiencing decline?
CR: We are not normally divided by ideological conflicts or intergenerational tensions. We live together with joy, most of the time! I asked one young man who was thinking of joining us what it was that he found attractive. He replied, ‘You seem to like each other’!
Of course we have our differences, but they enrich us rather than undermine our common life and mission. Our emphasis on study is also attractive in a world where so many young people are searching to find meaning for their lives.
Above all, it is of the essence of Catholicism to refuse any ideological opposition between tradition and openness to what is new. St John Henry Newman taught us this so beautifully. When we return to the tradition – the Word of God and teaching of the Church – we discover how to move forward.
AV: Much has been said about a Catholic revival in the United Kingdom, including a surge in adult baptisms. What do you think is driving this development?
CR: At the heart of every human being is a desire, strong or weak, for some ultimate meaning, a thirst for transcendence. This may have weakened in recent decades, but it cannot be suppressed for long. I think that this revival is a sign of this. In a time when relativism is widespread – ‘my truth’ and ‘your truth’ – people long for sure and certain truth. Many young people are turning to the Catholic Church because of its confident belief in the truths of its faith.
It is worth remarking that this certainty does not mean that all questioning is finished and that all is known. On the contrary, we are never at the end of trying to understand what the truths of our faith mean. I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. The tomb was empty. Death was conquered on Easter morning. And yet we shall never be at the end of our exploration of what this means. Theology is born at the limits of language.
This is why one cannot make an opposition between certainty and searching. Certainty without searching is fundamentalism; searching without certainty is relativism.
AV: Some of the communities experiencing particular growth are attached to the older form of the Roman Rite. Catholics within these communities sometimes feel that they are viewed with disapproval by members of the hierarchy. One notable example is the Covadonga pilgrimage in Spain, which was denied permission to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in Oviedo Cathedral and at the Basilica of Covadonga. How would you respond to Catholics in these communities who feel discouraged by the Church’s leaders?
CR: I do deeply sympathise with people whose love of the Tridentine Mass has led them into tension with the hierarchy. Some of them are my friends and I hate to see them pained. But it is good always to remember that the Eucharist is the sacrament of our unity in Christ. So I believe that the sacrament can never become a sign of disunity with the Body of Christ. However painful it might be, if the Church declares that a rite is not to be used, however much one might love it, it cannot be good to let its celebration be a source of division.
It is possible to celebrate the new Rite in Latin with great dignity and solemnity. I did so once for the funeral of a cousin of mine. Some people rushed up afterwards and congratulated me for celebrating the old rite, and I had to explain that it was the new rite. They had not been able to tell the difference. Many people can, of course.
AV: Finally, what are some practical ways in which people can incorporate Dominican spirituality into their daily lives?
CR: One of the mottos of the Order is contemplari et contemplata aliis tradere: Contemplate and share the fruits of contemplation with others. Everything that we say or do springs from that contemplation which is the well of silence in which we attend to God. So one needs to ensure that our lives give space to listening to God. Every day, listen to the Word of God. Let it surprise you! And listen in silence.
Dominic engaged in debates with people who rejected the teaching of the Church. He stayed up all night arguing with an innkeeper who was a heretic. As one of my brethren said, he did not spend all night saying, ‘You are wrong, you are wrong.’ He must have been open to the man’s hopes, dreams, sufferings and experience. So when you disagree with someone, do not just ask how they are wrong but also how they are right and what we have to learn from them.
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