Tayari News
Dame Sarah Mullally has officially taken up the post as Archbishop of Canterbury in a service in St Paul’s Cathedral, making her the first woman ever to serve as top minister of the Anglican Church.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, read the final sentence and final decree of the court of law.
It consists of Cottrell and his fellow bishops, with the assistance of the Vicar General of the Province of Canterbury, and has to decide whether the procedural steps have been properly carried out so that the election of the new Archbishop can be confirmed.
Cottrell said: “Having weighed and considered the matter with the assistance of the learned in law, we do, by virtue of the authority vested in us, confirm the election of the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Elizabeth Mullally to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and we commend unto the Archbishop, now elected and confirmed, the care, government and administration of the spirituals of the Archbishopric of Canterbury.”
With the reading, the confirmation of Dame Sarah Mullally becoming the 106th Lord Archbishop of Canterbury is now complete.
Dame Sarah Mullally’s confirmation marks the first time in 500 years that a woman serves as the spiritual head of the Anglican Church.
While, technically, the position of the church’s head (Supreme Governor) is vested in the British monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Here’s a quick rundown of the reasons behind this special arrangement, which goes back to the 16th century Reformation and the break with Rome.
‘Calmness and consistency’
Dame Sarah talked about her new role of Archbishop of Canterbury in a service in St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, saying “It is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to have been called to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
“In this country and around the world, Anglican churches bring healing and hope to their communities. With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.”
She added: “These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world. I pray that we will offer space to break bread together and discover what we have in common – and I pledge myself to this ministry of hospitality. “I want us to be a Church that always listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of church abuse who have often been let down.”
The new Anglican Church leader expressed her committment to equipping the Church to be a kind and safe place that cares for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, “as we rise to the challenge of God’s call to justice, equity, peace and the care of creation.”
Who is Dame Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury?
Right Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally is the first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury, some 1,400 years after the role was created.
Dame Sarah Mullally, 63, was born as Sarah Elisabeth Bowser in Woking, Surrey, on 26 March 1962. She is a late ordinand – the term for someone ordained as a priest – as she worked a normal job before joining the church.
She studied at South Bank University for her nursing bachelor’s and master’s degrees and also earned a master’s degree from Heythrop College, University of London. Dame Sarah is married to Eamonn Mullally and is a mother-of-two.