THE Archbishop of Canterbury has said that she found her installation at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday “deeply moving”.
The Most Revd Sarah Mullally, who was visibly emotional while being installed as the 106th — and first female — Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning: “Yesterday was a deeply moving and hopeful beginning to my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Referring to her 87-mile walking pilgrimage, which formed part of her spiritual preparation in the days preceding Wednesday’s service, she continued: “Over this past week I have walked the pilgrim path from St Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, and [the installation] marks another step on that journey. As a Church we are a pilgrim people, walking together in faith and hope.
“I begin this ministry trusting in God’s promise: that nothing will be impossible with God. I am deeply thankful for your prayers and encouragement, and I look forward with confidence to the work ahead as together we follow Christ’s call with hope.”
Before the installation, which took place on the Feast of the Annunciation, Archbishop Mullally gathered her fellow female bishops, including a number of Primates, at the nearby St Peter’s, Canterbury, for a special service of prayer.
THE BISHOP OF SHERBORNEWomen bishops gather at St Peter’s Church before the Archbishop of Canterbury’s installation at Canterbury Cathedral
“Morning started with a moving service of prayer with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah and a gathering of women bishops from around the Anglican Communion, including friends involved in the Leading Women programme,” the Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Revd Karen Gorham, wrote on social media. “Then a wonderful service in the Cathedral. Joyful, hopeful and full of genuine humanity.”
In the United States, congregations of the Episcopal Church opened their churches or facilitated “watch parties” during the televised service. In the diocese of Lexington, about a dozen ordained women celebrated while watching a livestream of the service. The Revd Amy Chambers Cortright, the diocesan Canon to the Ordinary, told the Episcopal News Service: “The idea was that we would reach out to women who are currently serving in the episcopate, to write them notes of encouragement, love and support.”
The fresh details about Archbishop Mullaly’s historic installation emerged as Pope Leo sent a message of greeting to the Archbishop upon her assumption of a “weighty” office.
“With this assurance of God’s abiding presence, I send prayerful greetings to Your Grace on the occasion of your Installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,” the Pope wrote. “I know that the office for which you have been chosen is a weighty one, with responsibilities not only in the Diocese of Canterbury, but throughout the Church of England as well as the Anglican Communion as a whole.”
Pope Leo said that Archbishop Mullally was taking up her duties “at a challenging moment in the history of the Anglican family. In asking the Lord to strengthen you with the gift of wisdom, I pray that you may be guided by the Holy Spirit in serving your communities, and draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God.”
The Pope referred back to “disagreements” between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches under their immediate predecessors. “The ecumenical journey has not always been smooth,” he wrote. “Despite much progress, our immediate predecessors, Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby, acknowledged frankly that ‘new circumstances have presented new disagreements among us.’ Nevertheless, we have continued to walk together.” He went on to stress the importance of Christian unity.
The Pope concluded: “With these fraternal sentiments, I invoke upon you the blessings of Almighty God as you take up your high responsibilities. May the Holy Spirit come down upon you and make you fruitful in the Lord’s service.”
