Dame Sarah Mullally, newly appointed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to lead the worldwide Anglican Communion, pledged to serve with humility, foster unity, and nurture “confidence in the Gospel” as she addressed the Church and global Anglicans in her first remarks since the announcement.
Speaking in London, the Bishop of London reflected on her journey from nurse to priest to bishop, saying her Christian vocation had always been shaped by acts of service. “Washing feet has shaped my Christian vocation as a nurse, then a priest, then a bishop,” Mullally said. “In the apparent chaos which surrounds us, in the midst of such profound global uncertainty, the possibility of healing lies in acts of kindness and love.”
Mullally emphasized that her ministry as archbishop would be anchored in the hope of Jesus Christ and lived out in communities across England and around the world. She cited the work of local parishes in food banks, schools, hospitals, and prisons as evidence of faith at work.
“In all of this, I see hope — because I see the person of Jesus Christ, reaching out to us all,” she said. “In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger: shared history, held in tension, shaped by prayer, and lit from within by the glory of Christ.”
She recounted recent visits to Anglican congregations in Brazil, Canada, and Barbados, describing how the familiar rhythm of worship in different contexts reflected a shared identity. “A shared inheritance of history, of family of worship, Sacrament and Word—made real in global diversity,” she said.
The incoming archbishop acknowledged the complex moral and political questions facing Britain and the wider world, including debates on assisted dying, immigration, poverty, and war. She referenced Thursday’s deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester, saying the Church had a duty to stand firmly against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.
“I know that the God who is with us draws near to those who suffer,” she said. “We then, as a Church, have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms. Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart.”
She extended her prayers to conflict zones worldwide, naming Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Middle East. “May God end the horrors of war, comfort those who mourn, and bring hope to those living in despair,” Mullally said.
Mullally also addressed the Church of England’s ongoing safeguarding crisis, acknowledging past failures and pledging to foster a culture of accountability.
“As a Church, we have too often failed to recognise or take seriously the misuse of power in all its forms,” she said. “My commitment will be to ensure that we continue to listen to survivors, care for the vulnerable, and foster a culture of safety and well-being for all.”
Safeguarding, she said, must be the responsibility of all, but carries particular weight for senior leaders. “Our history of safeguarding failures have left a legacy of deep harm and mistrust, and we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, regardless of our role in the Church.”
Mullally said she intends to serve as a shepherd who helps others flourish, regardless of tradition. “The role that I will take on next year is one that can only be done together,” she said, highlighting the need to work with the Archbishop of York, fellow bishops, and Anglicans across the Communion.
She acknowledged the historic nature of her appointment as the first woman to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion. “Some will be asking what it means for a woman to lead the Church of England, and to take on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s global role,” she said. “I intend to be a shepherd who enables everyone’s ministry and vocation to flourish.”
Mullally expressed gratitude to those who paved the way for women in ordained ministry. “Today I give thanks for all the women and men – lay and ordained; deacons, priests and bishops – who have paved the way for this moment,” she said.
Looking to her legacy, Mullally said she hoped to instill greater confidence in the Gospel within the Church and the Anglican Communion. “I humbly offer myself, and the gifts and experience that God has given me, in service to God’s world and God’s Church,” she said. “I will not always get things right. But I am encouraged by the psalmist who tells us that, ‘Though you stumble you shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds you fast by the hand.’”
She concluded by asking for prayers as she prepares to take up her role in 2026. “Held fast by the Lord’s hand, please pray for me as I will pray for you,” she said.
Mullally will formally take office at her Confirmation of Election at St. Paul’s Cathedral in January 2026, followed by her installation at Canterbury Cathedral in March.
