With a heart full of reverence and joy, I extend my warmest and most heartfelt congratulations to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on her historic appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury, being the first woman ever to hold this sacred office in more than 1,400 years of the Church of England’s storied history.
The cleric and others
This moment is more than a personal triumph; it is a seismic shift, a long-overdue recognition of the wisdom, grace, and spiritual authority that women have carried quietly and faithfully for centuries in the life of the Church. To see this realised at the highest altar of Anglicanism is both historic and profoundly humbling.
It was just recently that I had the privilege of standing beside her, then as Bishop of London at the altar, presiding over the ordination service for The Reverend David Jones, Lee and others at the St Stephen’s with St John, SSWSJ Rochester Row, Westminster, London – a sacred moment that now, in retrospect, feels all the more poignant. In the solemn stillness of the vestry before we emerged in our vestments, there was laughter, light, unforced, human – as she shared a playful quip with The Reverend Graham Buckle. It was a fleeting moment, yet it spoke volumes about her humanity: a gentle leader with a formidable spirit and a generous heart.
That is the essence of Archbishop Sarah, a woman whose presence does not demand attention, but gently commands respect. She walks not ahead of the people, but with them — as a servant, a shepherd, and a steward of the sacred. I have watched her journey over the years with quiet admiration. She has moved through the ranks of both public life and ecclesiastical office with a grace and purpose that few possess: a former Chief Nursing Officer for England, and now, shepherd of the Anglican Communion. She embodies a rare convergence of intellect, empathy, and deep spiritual grounding.
Her appointment comes at a time when the Church is once again searching for its voice amid the noise of the world. It is a time of reckoning, of change, of deep questions that demand deeper faith. It is my belief that Archbishop Sarah’s voice – calm yet convicted, humble yet unyielding will not only lead Lambeth Palace, but it will resound through the cathedrals of the Commonwealth, the chapels of the countryside, the chambers of Parliament, and the everyday corners of a world longing for leaders of integrity and soul.
This is not just a new chapter for the Church of England — it is a new page in the book of what is possible. For every woman who has wondered whether her calling could reach the altar, for every child who has questioned whether leadership must always look a certain way — this appointment declares that the Spirit moves where it wills, and that God is still in the business of lifting up leaders for such a time as this.
As a person of faith, I mark this moment with awe and holy expectancy. I pray that Archbishop Sarah’s tenure will be marked by divine wisdom, unwavering courage, and a deep, sustaining peace that flows not from titles or thrones, but from the wellspring of God’s own heart.
To you, dear Archbishop Sarah, may the oil upon your head never run dry. May your voice be clear in the storm, your heart remain tender in the fire, and your hands always open in the service of love.
The world is watching — and indeed, the world is rejoicing.
