Sarah Mullaly on the path to Canterbury
Sarah Mullaley was elected as Archbishop of Canterbury in January of this year and has faced a lot of grief from the beginning. The most vexatious challenges come from the impressive fact that she is the first woman Archbishop to head the world-wide Anglican communion. Their has been resistance and some silly bishops decided to elect a male archbishop in protest but these misogynist toads stepped back from their hissy-fit.
Last Tuesday Mullaley began what may be a first, or at least the first in a long time. She walked from St. Paul's Church in London to the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop, A couple of weeks ago her official page described what was then the upcoming pilgrimage:
The new Archbishop of Canterbury will next week (Tuesday 17 March) embark on a 6-day walking pilgrimage from London to Canterbury, as part of her spiritual preparation for her Installation service at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday 25 March.
It is the first time in modern history that an Archbishop of Canterbury has undertaken a pilgrimage of this nature in the lead-up to their Installation.
The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, along with her husband Eamonn, will be walking the 140km route along the Becket Camino from St Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, reflecting her journey from Bishop of London to Archbishop of Canterbury.
On the weekend they completed their trek, having stopped at churches along the way for visits with clerics and Church of England members. I am impressed by this feat given that she's in her early sixties and covered 23 or 24 kilometres a day on average. I hope there were worthwhile conversations as they were hoofing it as well.
Even if we've never read the Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century we're likely aware that these are two dozen short stories told from the perspective of pilgrims on the road to Canterbury. It's speculated that there were to be 30 pilgrim tales, multiplied by four, but Chaucer up and died.
Mullaley's walk demonstrates a respect for this long tradtion of pilgrimage reflecting her own journey of faith. It also pokes a dignified Anglican finger in the eyes of her detractors, few of whom could have huffed and puffed a few blocks from St Paul's. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are filled with humour and he might have written a jolly and even ribald story about this outing.
I figure we should all be praying for Archbishop Mullaley in these turbulent times for Anglicans around the world. May she experience the guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit and be treated with respect.
As I prepare to begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am grateful for the prayers and support I have received from people here and around the world. "To be welcomed into the city and diocese of Canterbury is an immense privilege and I am grateful to be sharing in this moment with people of all ages and backgrounds from across the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, our nation and the world. "Our world today needs the love, healing and hope that we find in Jesus Christ." Archbishop Sarah Mullaley
Canterbury Pilgrims -- William Blake
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