“In the diocese of Arundel and Brighton, we have a relatively small number of priests who celebrate the old rite, if you want to call it that, and the amount of provision for that is kind of what we needed in the diocese. So when the new requirements came out, I did as I was asked to do. I wrote to the Holy See. I said, this is our situation, and asked for permission for this to continue, and it was granted.” His remarks place him firmly within the post Traditionis custodes landscape, in which bishops are expected to regulate celebrations of the pre-conciliar liturgy and, in certain cases, to obtain Vatican authorisation for continued provision. Without offering any signal of an imminent tightening in Westminster, he also avoided supporting the older liturgy as a cause around which to rally, describing it instead as one pastoral reality among others. He insisted it was premature to make commitments in a diocese he has yet to lead on the ground. “As I said earlier on, I am brand new here, with a lot to learn, and I haven’t even got my feet under the desk yet. You’re asking me about future policies. It’s probably a bit early, but what I will say is that anything in terms of pastoral needs, you see what the need is and you do your best to answer it. But that requires conversations, getting to know people, and learning what the situation is.” In the exchange, he hinted that he intended to play a long game with the Old Rite, stating: “If you look at the CV, my hobby is horse riding. You should never rush a fence.”