The Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally. Archbishop of Canterbury

Jesu,* Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve

the neighbours we have from you.

1 Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet,

master who acts as a slave to them.  R

2 Neighbours are rich and poor, varied in colour and race,

neighbours are near and far away.  R

                                   Voices United 593

There is a new Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world's 85 million Anglicans and her name is Sarah Mullally. She is the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, the title attached to her role. Her appointment is significant in that she is the first woman in this role in the nearly 500 years of this office. She follows Justin Welby who was a capable pastoral leader in many respects but resigned because of the failure by leaders of the church to protect children from a predator who was able to perpetrate evil for decades. 

Mullally was a nurse and then a top nursing executive for 35 years before entering the priesthood. She supports same-sex marriage and strongly opposes assisted dying. 

It will be interesting to see how she addresses the failure of trust resulting from the sexual scandal. She will also be required to balance the support for her appointment by many, including women bishops, and the lack of it from many others. There are plenty of dinosaurs in the Anglican communion who oppose women as priests, let along as archbishop. 

I am impressed that Mullally has taken on this role in challenging times and trust that the Holy Spirit will be at work through her. She spoke of kindness and love in Christ's name , commenting that "Washing feet has shaped my Christian vocation, as a nurse, then a priest, then a bishop,".

According to the BBC these are key lines from Mullally's first address:

published at 06:18 3 October

• In a wide-ranging speech at Canterbury Cathedral, Mullally took pause to address "profound global uncertainty"
• Turning to what gives her hope, she said: "In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter and stronger"
• On the deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester, she said "hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart" - adding that the Church had a responsibility to "stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism"
• Mullally also spoke at length on the "misuse of power" within the Church of England. Addressing it "will not be easy", she said, as she vowed to listen to survivors and the vulnerable
• She made minimal reference to her being the first woman in the centuries-old role, but thanked the women that had gone before her for their "support and inspiration"
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