The Archbishop of Canterbury meets and prays with Pope Leo XIV during four day pilgrimage to Rome

The Archbishop of Canterbury met and prayed with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on the morning of Monday April 27, during her pilgrimage to Rome.

Archbishop Sarah had a private meeting with the Pope, after which the Pope and Archbishop each gave an address. Archbishop Sarah also introduced the Pope to her delegation and exchanged gifts with His Holiness.

Today’s meeting with Pope Leo was part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s four-day pilgrimage which began on Saturday April 25. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen Anglican–Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue. It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.

Archbishop Sarah was joined at the papal audience by the Most Revd Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster; the Rt Revd Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome; the Revd Dr Matthias Grebe, National Adviser for Ecumenical Relations; and Canon Margaret Cave, Director for Episcopal Ministry.

Pope Leo’s Address to The Archbishop of Canterbury

In his address to Archbishop Sarah, Pope Leo XIV remarked that the Archbishop’s visit: ‘…brings to mind the memorable encounter between Saint Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey sixty years ago, the anniversary of which you marked with Cardinal Koch in Canterbury Cathedral on the morning after your installation. Since then, Archbishops of Canterbury and Bishops of Rome have continued to meet to pray together, and I am glad that we are continuing this tradition today.’

He also encouraged the work of the Church in sharing peace: ‘Throughout these days of Eastertide, the first words spoken by the risen Christ resound throughout the Church: “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19). This greeting invites us not only to accept the Lord’s gift of peace, but also to be messengers of his peace. I have often mentioned that the peace of the risen Lord is “unarmed.” This is because he always responded to violence and aggression in an unarmed way, inviting us to do likewise. Moreover, I believe that Christians must bear prophetic and humble witness to this profound reality together (cf. Message for the LIX World Day of Peace, 1 January 2026).’

Pope Leo also stressed the importance of Christian Unity, and referenced the meeting of Anglican Primates with Pope Francis in 2024, saying: ‘As my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, said to the Primates of the Anglican Communion in 2024, “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known” (Read the Pope’s Address to Primates of the Anglican Communion, 2 May 2024). For my part, I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear.

‘As we continue to journey together in friendship and dialogue, let us pray that the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord breathed on the disciples on the evening after his resurrection, will guide our steps as we prayerfully and humbly seek the unity which is the Lord’s will for all his disciples.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Address to Pope Leo

In her address to Pope Leo, Archbishop Sarah emphasised the importance of hope saying: ‘in the face of inhuman violence, deep division, and rapid societal change, we must keep telling a more hopeful story: that every human life has infinite value because we are precious children of God; that the human family is called to live as sisters and brothers; that we must therefore work together for the common good – always building bridges, never walls.’

She gave thanks for Pope Leo saying: ‘Your Holiness, you have spoken powerfully about the many injustices in our world today, but you have spoken even more powerfully about hope.’

Following her audience, Archbishop Sarah joined the Pope at a service of Daytime Prayer in the Chapel of Urban VIII. The Pope presided at the Office, and the Pope and Archbishop said the grace together.

Anticipating this time of prayer, Archbishop Sarah’s address said: ‘Your Holiness, I am grateful that we are able to join in prayer this morning. In the years to come, I will remain united with you in prayer: prayer for peace in our world; prayer for justice; and prayer that every person may come to discover the fullness of life that God offers. We are united in prayer because we pray to the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Your Holiness, dear brother in Christ, in all this, we are sustained by hope – a hope grounded in Christ himself, who calls us forward, even when the way is not yet fully clear. May we continue to walk together in that hope, trusting that the one who has begun this good work among us will bring it to completion.’

Celebrating Ecumenical Relations

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit takes place within the context of the long-standing ecumenical relationship between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, rooted in the historic 1966 meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.

That encounter inaugurated a renewed commitment to visible unity, which continues to be expressed today through the work of the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), the International Anglican–Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), and the ministry of the Anglican Centre in Rome.

In Archbishop Sarah’s address to Pope Leo, she gave thanks for the important ecumenical work of the Anglican Centre in Rome, which is the is the permanent Anglican Communion presence in Rome. The centre supports liaison between Pope Leo and the Archbishop of Canterbury and works with Anglican Communion and Vatican bodies on joint projects for education, ecumenism, and shared mission.

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Pilgrimage

Archbishop Sarah’s pilgrimage over the weekend has visited a number of Holy sites in Rome. On Saturday 25, Archbishop Sarah prayed at the Tomb of St Peter in the Papal Basilica of St Peter, before praying at the Tomb of St Paul in the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls.

On the morning of Sunday 26 April, Archbishop Sarah presided at Sung Eucharist with Holy Baptism at All Saints’, Anglican Church Rome, the Church of England congregation in the city, before preaching at Evensong at St Paul’s Within the Walls, a part of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, later in the afternoon. During the day, she also made pilgrim visits to pray at the Papal Basilica and Cathedral of St John Lateran and the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major.

On Monday evening, Archbishop Sarah will officiate at Choral Evensong at the Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, during which she will commission Bishop Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See. The preacher will be His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation.

The pilgrimage will conclude on Tuesday with visits to the Joel Nafuma Refugee Centre (JNRC) at St Paul’s Within the Walls and to projects run by the Sant’Egidio Community.

Speaking about the pilgrimage ahead of the visit, The Archbishop of Canterbury said: ‘I know that I follow in the footsteps of those who have come before me, and I give thanks for the deepening dialogue and fellowship between Anglicans and Catholics over the last sixty years. It is a joy and privilege to meet and pray with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, and I look forward to our time of conversation and prayer.

‘I also look forward to meeting and worshipping with the Anglican community in Rome, and to seeing the work of Anglicans and Catholics supporting those in need across the city. I ask that Anglicans across the Church of England and around the Anglican Communion join and journey with me in prayer. Our world needs the peace, justice, and hope that Jesus Christ brings, and I give thanks that our churches can walk together as we share that good news with the world.’

• Read the Archbishop of Canterbury’s full address to Pope Leo XIV
• Read Pope Leo XIV’s address to the Archbishop of Canterbury

Canadian Anglicans prepare to weigh in on Nairobi-Cairo Proposals

The Anglican Church of Canada has convened a panel of clergy and bishops to study a pair of proposed reforms to the structure of the worldwide Anglican Communion, known as the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals.

Canon Scott Sharman, General Synod’s animator for ecumenical and interfaith relations, says the goal of the informal group—members of which were selected based on their experience in Communion affairs—is to ensure Canadian delegates to this summer’s Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland are informed and ready to discuss the proposals with representatives from around the world.

The Inter-Anglican Standing Committee on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) created the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals in 2024 at the behest of the 2022 Lambeth Conference and the ACC. They articulated the proposals along with their reasoning in a 44-page document based on discussions at their 2023-2024 meetings in Nairobi, Kenya and Cairo, Egypt.

The ACC and the Lambeth Conference are two of the four Instruments of Communion—bodies and leaders which tie the Anglican Communion together. The ACC is made up of clergy, bishops and laity from across the Communion who consult on matters relevant to its work and unity. The Lambeth Conference is an international gathering of bishops that the Archbishop of Canterbury—whose office is a third Instrument of Communion—convenes and hosts at Lambeth Palace in London, England.

The first of the two proposals the ACC will consider this summer is a change to the description of the Communion adopted at the 1930 Lambeth Conference, which defines the Anglican Communion as made up of those provinces “in communion with the see of Canterbury.” That description, the new document says, implied full communion with the Church of England, which at the time was the focal point of the Anglican Communion.

As the Anglican Communion has since grown larger and less centred on England both in population and culture, the proposal says, it suggests alternate phrasing: defining the Communion as provinces “in conference and connection with the See of Canterbury, by which they seek interdependently to foster the highest degree of communion possible one with another.” While full communion with the See of Canterbury remains the goal, the document says, the changed wording reflects that full communion is not always possible as increasing diversity in the church has led to divergence and disagreements in doctrine.

The second proposal initially called for a rotating presidency of the ACC, a role formerly held by the Archbishop of Canterbury. IASCUFO proposed rotating the position among primates of five regions: Africa, Europe, the Americas, Oceania and East Asia, and the Middle East and South Asia.

However, a 2026 supplement to the proposals has instead recommended eliminating the role of ACC president altogether. In either case, Primates’ Standing Committee members would take it in turns to convene the Primates’ Meeting—the fourth Instrument of Communion—and the Lambeth Conference, also duties once exclusively performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bishop Todd Townshend of the diocese of Huron is a member of both the informal Canadian study group on the proposals and IASCUFO, which he joined after the proposals were drafted. He sees one purpose of these proposals as helping to dismantle a colonial view of the church, in which uneven power dynamics gave other provinces a subordinate role to the Church of England.

Due to an extensive history of colonialism and reconciliation work with Indigenous people in the Anglican Church of Canada, Townshend says, “Canada does know something—especially the Indigenous people of Turtle Island—about colonial legacy and how to deal with it and what healing and reconciliation is about.”

In a climate where many provinces of the Communion outside Europe and North America have felt they were on the margins of decision-making, he says, a move like this shows the Communion is serious about hearing those provinces’ voices. Recent years have seen controversy between liberal-leaning provinces in Europe and North America and more conservative provinces—many in the Global South—which make up a large percentage of the world’s Anglican population.

Disagreements over same-sex marriage and the appointment of a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury make the news, Townshend says. But there are more complex differences of ecclesiology, wealth distribution and biblical interpretation which are important on their own and often affect debates on those flashpoint topics, he says. As emerging populations of Anglicans have grown and European and North American ones have shrunk, he adds, questions have arisen about how to balance their perspectives on Communion matters.

In October 2025, the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON), a coalition of conservative provinces, declared they were recentring the Communion around themselves, in what Anglican scholars called an effective schism within the Anglican Communion. The move followed decades of controversy surrounding issues such as same-sex marriage and the roles of tradition and reason in interpreting Scripture.

While GAFCON is an example of a group that has grown frustrated with the slow process of conversation on these issues, Townshend says, the proposals’ “small but significant changes” have the potential to approach a new, lasting status quo for the “many, many people who are not” splitting away.

Delegates to the June 27-July 5 ACC meeting in Belfast will have the opportunity to discuss and vote on whether the ACC endorses the proposals or requests further changes.

The Anglican Church of Canada’s delegates are Bishop Riscylla Shaw, suffragan bishop of the diocese of Toronto; the Rev. Marnie Peterson, rector of St. Anne’s Steveston Anglican Church in Richmond, B.C.; and Canon Anita Gittens, a founding member of Black Anglicans of Canada.

Members of the group currently studying the proposals to inform delegates include Sharman; Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, former president of the Canadian Council of Churches; Archbishop Colin Johnson, currently assistant bishop in the diocese of Niagara; IASCUFO members Townshend and the Rev. Dane Neufeld, incumbent at St. James Anglican Church in Calgary; and General Secretary of General Synod Andrea Mann.

Archbishop Sarah Mullally to visit Pope Leo XIV in April

Lambeth Palace has confirmed that Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally will visit Rome from Saturday, 25th April, to Tuesday, 28th April. During her visit, the Archbishop will meet with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican and worship with the Anglican churches in Rome.

The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury have exchanged letters expressing their commitment to Christian unity and Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue.

Pope Leo XIV wrote to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her Installation, which was held at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday. The Pope said that he prayed she might “be guided by the Holy Spirit” and “draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God.”

In response, Archbishop Sarah thanked the Pope for his prayers, and assured him of her own. “I am deeply grateful for your gracious letter, and for the assurance of your prayers at the time of my installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,” she wrote. “Your words of encouragement, and your invocation of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, are received with profound appreciation.”

In her message, the Archbishop wrote: “As Archbishop of Canterbury, I too am called to serve as an instrument of communion within the Anglican Communion, and to seek the full and visible unity to which our Lord has called us all (John 17:21).” She added: “I very much look forward to meeting Your Holiness in the near future and to continuing to strengthen the bonds of friendship and our shared commitment.”

Bishop Anthony Ball, the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See, remarked: “I very much look forward to welcoming Archbishop Sarah during her visit in this 60th anniversary year for the Anglican Centre in Rome. The Centre has continued to encourage dialogue and collaboration with the Catholic Church following Pope Leo’s election, in support of the vision for peace and social justice shared with the Anglican Communion. The visible unity of the Church and the building of bridges in a time of division and insecurity brings hope to many people around the world, and will remain a strong commitment under Archbishop Sarah’s leadership.”

Prayer service celebrates Common Declaration

The Pope’s message was delivered and read to Archbishop Sarah on Thursday morning by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, at Canterbury Cathedral. This followed a service of prayer with the Roman Catholic delegation attending Archbishop Sarah’s Installation to mark the 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration of 24th March 1966, the first formal ecumenical statement between Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.

Held the day after Archbishop Sarah’s Installation, the service commemorated the historic 1966 meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope St Paul VI. Following Morning Prayer, Archbishop Sarah and Cardinal Koch prayed together at the site of the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket in the Cathedral Quire, mirroring Pope St John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie’s visit to the site in 1982.

At the Vatican in 2024, Pope Francis told the Primates of the Anglican Communion that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.” Referring to these words in his letter, Pope Leo added: “Dear sister, I willingly make these words my own, for it is through the witness of a reconciled, fraternal and united Christian community that the proclamation of the Gospel will resound most clearly.”

Speaking after the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey set before our Churches a vision of reconciliation grounded in charity, truth, and a shared desire for unity in Christ. Their meeting marked a new beginning in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations – one that continues to bear fruit in dialogue, friendship, and common witness across the world. I give thanks for this shared journey, which continues to grow, not least through the recent state visit of His Majesty The King to Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

“Through ongoing dialogue, including the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), we continue to seek that unity in Christ, in whom we find both the source and the fulfilment of our communion. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us into all truth, deepen our fellowship, and lead us ever closer to the visible unity for which Christ prayed.”

Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury exchange letters on Archbishop Sarah’s Installation

The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury have exchanged letters expressing their commitment to Christian unity and Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue.

The greetings come as Lambeth Palace confirms today that Archbishop Sarah Mullally will visit Rome from 25 – 28th April. During the visit the Archbishop will meet with Pope Leo at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV wrote to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her Installation, which was held at Canterbury Cathedral yesterday. The Pope said he prayed she might “be guided by the Holy Spirit” and “draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God.”

In response, Archbishop Sarah thanked the Pope for his prayers, and assured him of her own. “I am deeply grateful for your gracious letter, and for the assurance of your prayers at the time of my installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,” she wrote. “Your words of encouragement, and your invocation of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, are received with profound appreciation.”

In her message, which was sent to Pope today, the Archbishop wrote: “As Archbishop of Canterbury, I too am called to serve as an instrument of communion within the Anglican Communion, and to seek the full and visible unity to which our Lord has called us all (John 17:21).”

She added: “I very much look forward to meeting Your Holiness in the near future and to continuing to strengthen the bonds of friendship and our shared commitment.”

The Pope’s message was delivered and read to Archbishop Sarah this morning by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, at Canterbury Cathedral. This followed a service of prayer with the Roman Catholic delegation at Archbishop Sarah’s Installation to mark the 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration of 24 March 1966, the first formal ecumenical statement between Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.

Held the day after Archbishop Sarah’s Installation, the service commemorated the historic 1966 meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope St Paul VI. Following Morning Prayer, Archbishop Sarah and Cardinal Koch prayed together at the site of the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket in the Cathedral Quire, mirroring Pope St John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie’s visit to the site in 1982.

At the Vatican in 2024, Pope Francis told the Primates of the Anglican Communion that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.”

Referring to these words in his letter, Pope Leo added: “Dear sister, I willingly make these words my own, for it is through the witness of a reconciled, fraternal and united Christian community that the proclamation of the Gospel will resound most clearly.”

Speaking after this morning’s service, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey set before our Churches a vision of reconciliation grounded in charity, truth, and a shared desire for unity in Christ. Their meeting marked a new beginning in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations – one that continues to bear fruit in dialogue, friendship, and common witness across the world. I give thanks for this shared journey, which continues to grow, not least through the recent state visit of His Majesty The King to Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

“Through ongoing dialogue, including the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), we continue to seek that unity in Christ, in whom we find both the source and the fulfilment of our communion. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us into all truth, deepen our fellowship, and lead us ever closer to the visible unity for which Christ prayed.”

Attendees at Morning Prayer today included His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York; Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; and Bishop Anthony Ball, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See.

The Anglican Centre in Rome was established following the Declaration and serves as the permanent Anglican Communion presence in Rome, working to deepen friendship and collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church.

Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally installed in service attended by Anglican Communion leaders

Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally was installed March 25 at a service at Canterbury Cathedral that was attended by leaders from across the Anglican Communion, including Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and several other representatives from The Episcopal Church.

The ceremonial installation marks the start of Mullally’s public ministry. As the 106th archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold that office, she acknowledged that history and her unlikely path to this moment in her sermon.

“I make this journey both on a personal level … but more significantly I make this journey with others and in the footsteps of the past,” she said, mentioning Thomas Becket, who served as archbishop of Canterbury 850 years ago. “Today, I think of the many thousand unknown Christians who have trodden these same paths since, and not just on this ancient land, but all across the world. People walk the pilgrim paths of faith each and every day.”

• Sermon text: Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally

Mullally, 63, was ordained to the priesthood in 2001 after a career as a nurse treating cancer patients and had served as the bishop of London since 2018. As archbishop of Canterbury, she now leads the Church of England and serves as a “focus of unity” for all 42 autonomous, interdependent provinces of the Anglican Communion, including The Episcopal Church, which have historical roots in England.

She was named the church’s next archbishop of Canterbury in October, and she took office Jan. 28 after her election was confirmed. Her installation service, also known as an enthronement, at the 1,400-year-old Canterbury Cathedral was livestreamed on the Church of England’s YouTube channel.

The installation also marked the feast day of the Annunciation of Our Lord. The cathedral released the order of service here. During the procession of bishops before the service, more than 5,000 viewers already were watching online, and that number topped 8,000 after the service got underway.

“This is a truly global gathering,” Canterbury Cathedral Dean David Monteith said in welcoming remarks at the start of the service that acknowledged the geographic breadth of those in attendance. “We meet in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose service we are united.”

After a ceremonial reading of the mandate for Mullally’s installation, those inside the cathedral stood as, outside, the new archbishop gave the customary three knocks with her pastoral staff on the cathedral door, which opened for her entrance.

“I am Sarah, a servant of Jesus Christ, and I come as one seeking the grace of God, to travel with you in his service together,” Mullally said, in the words appointed for the liturgy. “I am sent as archbishop to serve you, to proclaim the love of Christ and with you to worship and love him with heart and soul, mind and strength.”

After processing to the nave altar, Mullally kneeled, and Monteith said: “Let us join Sarah, our archbishop, in prayer for God’s blessing on her ministry in this diocese, in the Province of Canterbury and throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion.”

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and Monteith then led Mullally through the Declaration of Assent and the Oaths, which she spoke after placing her hand on a Bible.

After she was formally installed, Mullally said: “I solemnly commit myself before you to the service of the Church of England, the Anglican Communion and the whole Church of Christ throughout the world, that together we may proclaim the Gospel of Christ who reconciles us to God and breaks down the walls that divide us.”

On the dean’s cue, all stood in applause.

Twenty-six Anglican primates — archbishops and presiding bishops who lead the Anglican Communion’s provinces — were reported in attendance at Mullally’s installation, including the Most Rev. Alba Sally Sue Hernández García, who was just elected primate of the Anglican Church of Mexico on March 21. Speaking in Spanish, she read the Gospel reading for Mullally’s installation, Luke 1:26-38.

In her sermon, Mullally noted that some Anglican leaders were unable to attend the service because of the war in the Middle East between the United States, Israel and Iran. “We pray for them without ceasing, and for all those in worn-torn areas of the world, in Ukraine, in Sudan and Myanmar, that they would know God’s presence with them, just as we pray for peace to prevail,” she said.

Ecumenical guests included the leaders of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Assyrian Orthodox Church, a representative from the Vatican, other Roman Catholic officials and British Protestant leaders. Others present included representatives from a wide range of global faith traditions, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Mullally preached about the Gospel story of Mary’s acceptance of God’s call, saying it was an inspiration for her and for all Christians.

“As I look back over my life, at the teenage Sarah who put her faith in God and made a commitment to follow Jesus, I could never have imagined the future that lay ahead, and certainly not the ministry to which I am now called,” Mullally said.  “Mary followed in the footsteps of the faithful. Her story resonates with the beautiful stories of women, like Hannah, in the Scriptures. Mary put her hope in God’s future. She trusted that he was with her, and through Mary, God did a new thing.”

As archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally is considered one of four “Instruments of Communion” that bring together the 42 provinces of the Anglican Communion across more than 165 countries. The other three Instruments of Communion are the Anglican Consultative Council, the Primates’ Meeting and the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops. Mullally is scheduled to convene her first meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, or ACC, this summer in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The archbishop of Canterbury’s global leadership role had been called into question under Mullally’s predecessor, former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, when in 2023 the Church of England began allowing same-sex couples to receive blessings in its churches. Some conservative bishops said they rejected the continuation of England’s centrality in the Anglican Communion, and they also have said their provinces are in “impaired” communion with provinces like The Episcopal Church that are more progressive on issues of LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Other Anglican leaders have heralded the choice of Mullally as the Church of England’s new leader, with hopes that she can guide the Anglican Communion through this time of rising tensions.

“I think she is an extraordinary leader,” Rowe said in an interview with Episcopal News Service in Canterbury before the installation. “She brings with her so many charisms of the spirit and experience in the world. I think she’s going to give us a new perspective on the Communion and being together. I think she’s going to provide leadership that’s entirely different than what we’ve seen to this point, and I, for one, am excited to be working with her.”

• VIDEO: Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe
• VIDEO: House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris

Other Episcopal leaders who attended included Indianapolis Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, vice-chair of the House of Bishops, and House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris. Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez was at the cathedral as president of the Anglican Communion’s Compass Rose Society.

“It’s a huge honor to be here to represent the House of Deputies of The Episcopal Church, especially because the archbishop of Canterbury is a woman,” Ayala Harris told ENS before the installation. “Her service today is a celebration of women’s leadership throughout the church, back to Mary, the mother of Jesus.”

Members of the British royal family also attended the installation, including Prince William and Princess Catherine. The Church of England is uniquely connected to the government of England, and King Charles III serves as the church’s supreme governor — a role that does not extend to any other Anglican province.

Before her installation, Mullally chose to travel to Canterbury by foot, leaving London on March 17 on a six-day walking pilgrimage across about 140 kilometres (or about 87 miles), accompanied by her husband, Eamonn, and others. They followed the Becket Camino route, from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral.

“As a church, we are a pilgrim people, and like Mary, we are called to trust that nothing will be impossible with God, even when we see so much in the world that makes hope seem impossible,” Mullally said in her sermon. “But there is hope, because we make this journey with God.

“We do not bear the weight of this calling in our own strength, but only in the grace and power of God. We walk with God, trusting that God walks with us, trusting that in all that we face, in the sorrow and the challenges as much as in the joy and the delight, we do not walk alone. There is hope, because we are invited to trust that God will do a new thing.”

Belgian bishop plans to ordain married men to fulfil Synod vision

‘The initiative is now in the hands of local bishops,’ Bishop Johan Bonny wrote in his pastoral letter, noting that the Antwerp diocesan synod had proposed several reforms.

Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp has challenged Rome to push forward with synodal reforms by announcing changes including the ordination of married men in his diocese by 2028.

Carefully quoting guidelines for the Synod on Synodality’s implementation phase (2025-2028), his 11-page pastoral letter proposed the viri probati reform alongside the naming of woman pastors, a new understanding of parishes, welcoming new Catholics and updating the Church’s message.

Read the rest of this article in The Tablet

Gafcon to be led by new Global Anglican Council including clergy, laity, and bishops

Communiqué says it will be chaired by the Archbishop of Rwanda, Dr Laurent Mbanda, and replace the Primates Council set up in 2008.

In a communiqué marking what it says is a “historic day for the Global Anglican Communion”, Gafcon has announced that it has dissolved its Primates Council to replace it with a new Global Anglican Council, chaired by the Archbishop of Rwanda, Dr Laurent Mbanda.

It has made the “unprecedented” decision, it says, to “share its stewardship of the Global Anglican Communion by creating the Global Anglican Council, which includes primates, advisors, and guarantors, which will include bishops, clergy, and lay members, each with full voting privileges”.

The dissolving of the Primates Council, set up in 2008, reflects, the communiqué says, “the willingness of the Primates to share their authority with a wider group of global Anglican leaders, both lay and clergy”.

Read the rest of this article in Church Times

IASCUFO shares learnings and supplement to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals in preparation for ACC-19

This June in Belfast, the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council will be invited to consider resolutions emerging from The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals and a Supplement Paper of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO). Developed as an ‘offer’ to the Communion, the NCPs is a theological paper that offers a framework for fostering Christian unity and deepening communion amid difference. The proposals seek to encourage Anglican churches to ‘make room for one another’ and to recall their commitment to the unity and healing of the whole Church.

The Anglican Consultative Council facilitates the cooperative work of the member churches of the Anglican Communion in the areas of mission and unity. Every member church of the Anglican Communion is entitled to send 2-3 representatives to meetings, which include bishops, clergy and lay people.

Chaired by Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, IASCUFO is a permanent commission of the Anglican Communion, composed of Anglican theologians from around the world. The commission is charged with advising the member churches and Instruments of Communion on all matters of faith, order, and ecumenism with the intention of promoting ‘common understanding, consistency, and convergence.’

At the last ACC meeting in 2023, IASCUFO was asked ‘to explore theological questions regarding structure and decision-making to help address our differences in the Anglican Communion’ in service of ‘seeking to walk together to the highest degree possible.’ The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, published in Advent 2024, fulfilled this assignment.

Since publishing its original paper, IASCUFO has engaged in a period of listening to responses, with an eye to presenting revised proposals for ACC-19. This has entailed careful consideration of various published responses, online consultations with bishops and members of the ACC, ecumenical consultations, and several conversations with the Standing Committee of the Communion and with Archbishop Mullally.

Today, the commission has published its ‘Supplement’ to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals along with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) text and a short film.

The Supplement reviews the principal proposals of The Nairobi-Cairo paper and seeks both to clarify and develop them. The first proposal offers an updated description of the Anglican Communion to both reflect its current structure and enable all Anglicans to ‘speak truly and honestly about the faith, ministry, and mission that we share.’ The second proposal calls for a broadening of leadership in the Anglican Communion, better to reflect the diversity of the Communion.

The supplementary paper adds two ‘refinements’ to the second proposal, following the lead of the Primates’ Meeting in 2024, which asked whether the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ministry in the Communion might be ‘assisted and broadened’ with the support of the regional primates.

In lieu of a ‘rotating presidency of the ACC’ as previously proposed, IASCUFO suggests instead that the Archbishop of Canterbury might convene a collegial council composed of the regional primates. This would provide a more ‘diversified face of the Communion.’ The council could also ‘share the pastoral ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury as the first Instrument’ and ‘represent the Communion (as the Archbishop of Canterbury does) in different settings, such as at the inauguration of a new province or the installation of a new primate.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury could continue ‘to serve as the presumptive representative’ of the Communion in ecumenical settings, with the option of calling upon others.

As a second refinement, IASCUFO believes, upon further reflection with the ACC Standing Committee, that the role of President of the ACC may no longer be needed. ‘Largely symbolic and ex officio’ by design, a simplification of the structure of the ACC will enable the ACC to ‘clarify the role of the Chair.’ Such a change ‘fits with IASCUFO’s proposals and rationale regarding strengthened lay leadership on the Standing Committee.’ The commission recommends that the Archbishop of Canterbury ‘remain an ex officio member of the ACC and its Standing Committee, with both voice and vote, alongside the five other primatial members of that Standing Committee.’

Resolutions emerging from this supplement will be presented as part of the conference programme at ACC-19 this June.

The new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Sarah Mullally, will attend ACC-19, as her first official meeting of the Anglican Communion. In anticipation of the conversations, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: ‘In a fractured world, and an often divided church, the Anglican Communion is such a profound gift. As I begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am so grateful for this global community of Anglicans, all bound by our shared faith in Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to spending time at the Anglican Consultative Council with bishops, clergy and laity from across the world, celebrating our common ministry, enriching one another’s faith, and looking for new ways to walk together. In this spirit of collaboration, I return to my favourite proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I believe that by working together, and with God’s help, the Anglican Communion can offer good news to a world in great need. I also look forward to considering IASCUFO’s Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, as we seek to respond to God’s call for the Church to be one and explore ways of walking together to the highest degree possible.’

The Rt Revd Graham Tomlin, Chair of IASCUFO, said: ‘The work and thinking of The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals on the identity and structures of the Anglican Communion remind us that the Church is called to navigate differences in the light of Christ’s call to unity. The proposals also seek to respond faithfully to the fast-changing Anglican Communion in a post-colonial age. As we prepare for ACC, I look forward to sharing the fruit of IASCUFO’s labours as presented in The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals and our supplementary paper. In the power of God’s Spirit, I pray that we may have the courage and honesty to attend to deeply held disagreements within our communion, with the conviction and obedience to respond to Christ’s call.’

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, said: ‘IASCUFO’s Nairobi-Cairo Proposals mark an important moment in the history of the Anglican Communion. Since the last ACC in Ghana, members of IASCUFO have worked prayerfully, collegially and faithfully to produce this important theological paper. Representing diverse perspectives, The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals seek to uphold our unity in diversity and to help us navigate our differences. I hope and pray that every member church of the Communion will send its representatives to the Anglican Consultative Council in Belfast, so that every voice is heard when we discuss the proposals.’

A Call to Reconciliation: A Joint Document from ARCUSA

The 89th meeting of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States of America (ARCUSA) met at the Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, Maryland, from Nov. 8-10, hosted by the secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Against a background of communal worship, participants finalised a draft of a document on reconciliation, tentatively titled, “A Call to Reconciliation: A Joint Document from the Anglican-Roman Catholic USA Dialogue.” All members participated in a careful review of the entire document, providing final additions and edits. A final draft of this document on reconciliation will be presented in 2024 for approval by the General Convention of The Episcopal Church and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In addition, members participated in a liturgy of reconciliation intended for use as a rite for Episcopalians and Catholics. This liturgy is intended to be an appendix to the document as a sign of a common commitment to the ongoing work of reconciliation between Episcopalians and Catholics.

‘Called to One Hope’: Anglican Consultative Council will gather Anglicans from around the world to meet in Belfast, June-July 2026

Gathering Anglicans from around the world, the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-19) will take place in Belfast from June 27 – July 5, 2026. Themed ‘Called to One Hope’ from the letter to the Ephesians, this important international gathering of Anglican bishops, clergy and laity will explore how the Church can share the reconciling love of Christ in a fragmented world.

Supported by the Anglican Communion Office and hosted by the Church of Ireland, ACC-19 will also be the first official Anglican Communion meeting attended by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Sarah Mullally DBE.

The ACC facilitates the cooperative work of the member churches of the Anglican Communion in the areas of mission and unity. Its meetings include updates from member churches, reports from the commissions and networks of the Communion, and resolutions concerning shared priorities that the members of the ACC wish to address.

Meeting every three years, the Anglican Consultative Council is one of four ‘Instruments of Communion’, alongside the Lambeth Conference, Primates’ Meeting, and Archbishop of Canterbury. Every member church is entitled to send two to three representatives, which include both clergy and lay people, as well as bishops. The last ACC met in Ghana in 2023.

The 2026 ACC-19 meeting in Belfast will combine sessions for Bible Study and prayer, member church updates, and a series of ‘Global Conversations’ addressing topics of mutual concern in church and world affairs. Through a lens of both mission and advocacy, these will include discipleship, safe church, peace and reconciliation, migration and the environment.

As a consultative council, the ACC also focuses on proposals and resolutions submitted by official commissions and networks of the Anglican Communion. At ACC-19, these will include ‘Vision 36’, a bold church-planting initiative of the Anglican Communion Commission for Evangelism and Discipleship (ACCED). The Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission (ACSCC) will also bring proposals for embedding effective safeguarding standards and processes within the lives and contexts of all member churches.

ACC members will also undertake a daylong pilgrimage, visiting sites of historic importance, to learn more about the Irish experience of conflict and the church’s ministry in peace and reconciliation. The host church will organise the opening and closing services at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.

Another major focus will be consideration of proposals concerning Christian unity, Anglican identity and the structures of the Communion. Daily sessions will be hosted by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) and resolutions emerging from its paper, The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, published in 2024. The paper was commissioned at ACC-19 in 2023 ‘to help address our differences in the Anglican Communion’ in service of ‘seeking to walk together to the highest degree possible.’ The paper is set within the longstanding commitment of the Anglican Communion to answering God’s call to unity in the Body of Christ.

The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals outline two principal measures. The first proposes an updated description of the Anglican Communion to reflect its current structure and reality. The revised description enables all Anglicans to speak truly and honestly about the faith, ministry, and mission that they share.

The second proposes a broadening of the leadership of the Anglican Communion, to better reflect the diversity of the Communion in today’s world and ensure that the leadership of the Communion ‘looks like the Communion.’ The proposed modest structural reforms are offered to enhance the collegiality of the Instruments and complement the unique ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Since publishing its original paper, IASCUFO has engaged in a period of listening to responses, with an eye to presenting revised proposals for ACC-19 this June. This has entailed careful consideration of various published responses, online consultations with bishops and members of the ACC, ecumenical consultations, and regular conversations with the Standing Committee of the Communion and with Archbishop Mullally. The commission will publish a ‘Supplement’ to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals in the days ahead, along with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) text as an accompaniment.

More information will be released about the Anglican Consultative Council in the coming months. The Anglican Communion Office is contacting member churches, commissions and networks regarding submission processes and dates for reports.

Looking ahead to the Anglican Consultative Council, the Secretary General, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, said: ‘In 2026, the Anglican Communion Office will facilitate the 19th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. We look forward to collaborating with the Church of Ireland, as it hosts this important gathering. We are in contact with all the churches of the Communion as plans take shape. I encourage every church to send members to participate in the important discussions of ACC-19.’

The Most Revd John McDowell, The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland: ‘The Anglican Consultative Council plays an important role in the life of the Anglican Communion, gathering representatives from our diverse Anglican family for consultation, prayer and fellowship. The Church of Ireland is looking forward to being the host Province for the meeting of ACC-19 in 2026, and we will continue to pray for all those who will take part. May it be a fruitful opportunity for Anglicans to be together in God’s presence as a community within the body of Christ and to discern God’s will for His Church in our day, so that we may be equipped by the Spirit to respond to the needs of the world.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Sarah Mullally: ‘In a fractured world, and an often divided church, the Anglican Communion is such a profound gift. As I begin my ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury, I am so grateful for this global community of Anglicans, all bound by our shared faith in Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to spending time at the Anglican Consultative Council with bishops, clergy and laity from across the world, celebrating our common ministry, enriching one another’s faith, and looking for new ways to walk together. In this spirit of collaboration, I return to my favourite proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I believe that by working together, and with God’s help, the Anglican Communion can offer good news to a world in great need. I also look forward to considering IASCUFO’s Nairobi-Cairo Proposals, as we seek to respond to God’s call for the Church to be one and explore ways of walking together to the highest degree possible.’

The Rt Revd Graham Tomlin, Chair of IASCUFO: ‘In our polarised world, it can be easy to feel — even in the Church — the impetus toward division and separation. But Christ calls his Church to unity. When Christians find ways to walk together across deep disagreement and difference, there is so much we can do to impact the world for good. As we prepare for ACC, I look forward to sharing the fruit of IASCUFO’s labours as presented in The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals and our supplementary paper. In the power of God’s Spirit, I pray that we may have the courage and honesty to attend to deeply held disagreements within our Communion, with the conviction and obedience to respond to Christ’s call.’

A letter to Bishops around the Anglican Communion

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

“Since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 2 Corinthians 4:1.

Grace and peace to you.

It is a joy and a privilege as my time as Archbishop of Canterbury begins to write to the Bishops of the Anglican Communion.

At my Confirmation of Election in St Paul’s Cathedral, I was charged to work in partnership with my fellow Primates and Bishops of the Anglican Communion. I look forward to this shared ministry as we seek to be, not only disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also his apostles, sent to share the good news of his love with all entrusted to our care. May the Lord be merciful to us and strengthen our hearts after the encouragement of the Apostle Paul.

The beginning of my new ministry coincides with the season of Lent and I have been reflecting that personally this feels like the most wonderful gift. Before he began his public ministry, Jesus chose to follow the lead of the Spirit into the wilderness to spend time doing ‘business’ with his Father.  Through fasting, prayer, the confronting of temptations and feeding on Scripture, Jesus emerged renewed for ministry and completely determined to live out the will of God, no matter the cost.

I will spend time this Lent on retreat and pilgrimage as I prepare for my Installation in Canterbury Cathedral on the Feast of the Annunciation. I will be praying that you may know renewal, grace, and encouragement in your ministry this Lent. We all know the cost and burden of the episcopal calling as well as the deep joy that comes from the privilege we have of serving God’s people and the wider world.

I write simply to acknowledge the encouragement of our shared partnership in the Gospel and to recognise the significance of walking this path together, not least through Lent towards Easter as we prepare once again to celebrate the joy of the resurrection.  Please pray for me as I pray for you.

I also commend to you this year’s Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book, Dancing to the Heartbeat of God. I’m grateful for the many contributors from across the Communion. Their stories of discipleship, hospitality, courage, and generosity reflect the rich witness of our global family and offer inspiration for our shared life and mission.

May God who invites us into the dance of divine love strengthen us in hope, nurture us in faith, and deepen in all of us a spirit of hospitality as we bear witness to the mercy and love we find as followers of Jesus.

With every blessing in Christ,

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally
Archbishop of Canterbury

A paradigm shift for English Catholicism

Richard Moth is due to be installed on Saturday as the twelfth Archbishop of Westminster since the restoration of the hierarchy in 1850. Veteran religious correspondent Clifford Longley argues that it is time for the Church in England and Wales to fundamentally rethink its purpose and mission.

What is the Catholic Church in England and Wales for, exactly? Some might insist existence is enough and no more needs to be said. When the Catholic Church taught extra ecclesiam nulla salus without qualification, that was clearly an imperative. But the Catechism now states: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation” (quoting Lumen Gentium, 16). Paradise is open to all people of sincere goodwill. So why be Catholic? It is not a question that has yet been fully answered.

Read the rest of this article in The Tablet

Italy’s Christian churches sign first ecumenical pact

Lutherans are among representatives of eighteen Christian communities in Italy pledging to pursue theological dialogue, joint witness and closer cooperation for the common good.

Strengthening relations among different Christian churches in Italy, while promoting authentic Christian values within an increasingly secular society. Those were the twin goals of a recent symposium, during which representatives of eighteen churches and Christian communities signed an ecumenical pact pledging to pursue dialogue, joint witness and closer cooperation for the common good.

As dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy, Rev. Carsten Gerdes took part in the two-day symposium, held in the southern port city of Bari. The gathering included the signing of a bold new agreement between Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Pentecostal and Free churches present around the Italian peninsula.

Pastor Gerdes, who serves the Ispra-Varese community close to the Swiss border, noted that the 23 to 24 January symposium, entitled ‘The Italian way of dialogue’, brought together around a hundred participants from leadership to local congregational level. “At the conclusion of this meeting, I felt a strong ecumenical impulse among participants, and I hope we can keep this alive, transmitting it to the grassroots,” he said.

In the pact, signed during the opening ceremony in Bari’s ancient cathedral, church leaders pledge to work together for justice, peace and solidarity, focusing especially on protecting human dignity, promoting dialogue between cultures and religions, welcoming migrants and marginalised people, protecting God’s creation and combatting antisemitism, Islamophobia or any other forms of religious discrimination.

“Of course, you haven’t achieved anything by simply signing a piece of paper and putting it in the archives,” Gerdes observed. “But in the pact we also commit ourselves to keeping this dialogue alive, pursuing closer relations, discussing theological questions and overcoming the obstacles that divide us. This is a promise we make not only to ourselves, but also to all our churches, and we hope to follow up with a second symposium in a couple of years’ time.”

During the Bari meeting, delegates participated in working groups dedicated to exploring themes of peacemaking, spirituality, engagement in the public space, interchurch marriages and the sharing of Holy Communion. “I took part in that last group,” Gerdes said, “and clearly this has been a question for the past 500 years, so we weren’t hoping to solve it in our four hours together. But we were able to think about the path ahead and where the problems lie, what our shared baptism means for us being able to share at the Lord’s table.”

We know this is the right path to follow, and [….] we see a lack of authentic Christian values in public life today. — Rev. Carsten Gerdes, Dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy

Like many European nations, Italy has seen a significant decline in participation within all the traditional mainline churches. “The only exception we notice is in the Pentecostal and charismatic communities, who have seen their congregations getting larger and younger,” Gerdes said. “But our joint efforts are not about trying to attract more people into our churches. Rather, it is because we know this is the right path to follow and because we see a lack of authentic Christian values in public life today.”

Just like in his home country, Germany, Gerdes noted that there are “groups talking about the importance of Christianity, but we need to be careful because they may be more interested in getting political votes than in authentic religious values.” The pact, signed at the symposium, underlines the importance of religious freedom and respect for the freedom of conscience of every individual.

While it does not contain concrete proposals for the next steps on this ecumenical journey, the pact does commit each church to “promoting initiatives that favour [greater] knowledge and reciprocal esteem between believers of the different Christian confessions.” Gerdes said he was “delighted to see such a strong impulse from Catholic leaders, who remain the majority church in Italy.” He concluded: “Not only the church leaders, but all participants in this symposium should now take steps forward to continue with this momentum.”

Sarah Mullally confirmed as 106th archbishop of Canterbury

Sarah Mullally was confirmed archbishop of Canterbury Jan. 28 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. She became the first woman to hold the office in its 1,400-year history.

“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,” Mullally said ahead of her confirmation. “With God’s help, I will seek to guide Christ’s flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.”

Leaders in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral for the Confirmation of Election, a legal ceremony set within a worship service. The service included readings and hymns in English, Xhosa and Portuguese, to reflect the global Anglican Communion. Two of the Anglican Communion members who were on the Crown Nominations Commission for the Archbishop of Canterbury were present at the Confirmation of Election. The Rev. Isaac Beach, from the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, shared a prayer, and Joaquin Philpotts, a lay minister in the Anglican Diocese of Argentina, offered a message of encouragement.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell gave the Charge. At the end of the Confirmation of Election, Mullally took up the Primatial Cross and gave the blessing in her first act as archbishop of Canterbury.

“I give thanks for Bishop Sarah and the confirmation of her election as the archbishop of Canterbury. As she prepares for her installation and public ministry this March, I assure her of our prayers and support,” the Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, said before the confirmation. “May God grant the archbishop understanding and discernment as she works to serve the member churches of the Anglican Communion, foster bonds of friendship, and encourage them in sharing the Good News of the Christian faith around the world.”

New York Bishop Matthew Heyd attended the worship service. The Episcopal Diocese of New York has a longstanding companion relationship with the Diocese of London, where Mullally had served as bishop since 2018. Mullally attended Heyd’s installation as bishop of New York in 2024.

“Being part of this communion is God’s call to us … and [Mullally] will help all of us model what it means to be in this relationship with people who have different experiences, different points of view,” Heyd told ENS in a phone interview. “Her ministry in the Diocese of London was powerful, and I know that her leadership will be meaningful to the whole Anglican Communion.”

Mullally will be installed on March 25 at Canterbury Cathedral, where she will preach her first sermon as archbishop. Following the installation, she will begin her public ministry. In the meantime, she will pay homage to King Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, and co-preside and give the presidential address at the Church of England’s General Synod in February in London.

“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,” Mullally said before the confirmation.

“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,” she said. “I am committed 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.”

Mullally succeeds former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who stepped down in January 2025 under pressure from a scandal in which he was accused of not appropriately addressing allegations of child abuse by a prominent church member.

Diocese of Derby Bishop Libby Lane, the first woman to be appointed a bishop in the Church of England, served as one of the service’s Royal Commissioners.

“It is an honour to have been invited to undertake this role as part of the Confirmation of Election. I am delighted to support Bishop Sarah as she takes up her new ministry,” she said ahead of the service. “It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with her over many years, and to serve with her now as archbishop. Please join me in praying for Sarah and her family, as she begins her new role, leading the Diocese of Canterbury, Church of England and the Anglican Communion.”

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe told ENS, “I look forward to working with Archbishop Mullally as she takes up her new role and am especially grateful for her efforts to diversify the church’s leadership and safeguard vulnerable people and victims of abuse. I pray for her strength and fortitude in these weeks of transition.”

The archbishop of Canterbury, as the most senior bishop in the Church of England, is seen as an “instrument of communion” among the 42 autonomous, interdependent provinces that make up the 85-million-member Anglican Communion, all of which, including The Episcopal Church, have historic ties with the Church of England.

As archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally becomes “first among equals” with the primates of the other 41 Anglican provinces, with responsibility for convening the Primates’ Meeting and Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops, two of the four Instruments of Communion.

Christian Unity: ‘Actions speak louder than words’ says the Bishop of Gibraltar

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes shares a message of hope and offers a reflection on his involvement with the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) and as Bishop of Gibraltar (Diocese in Europe).

Bishop Robert’s reflection:

I am privileged to be the Anglican co-chair of IARCCUM, a sister commission of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC). ARCIC does the hard work of articulating theological agreement. IARCCUM has the positive task of encouraging Anglicans and Roman Catholics to pray, work, learn and go out together in mission on the basis of the many things upon which we can joyfully agree. IARCCUM encourages spiritual ecumenism, the ecumenism of martyrs, the ecumenism of action and mission. It is about acting as if we were one so that we might become one.

During 2025, I was invited to three big occasions in Rome: the funeral of Pope Francis, the inauguration of Pope Leo and the visit of King Charles III to worship with the Pope in the Sistine Chapel.

The third of these events included a memorable symbolic action. King Charles was presented with a throne in St. Paul’s Basilica inscribed with the royal coat of arms and the ecumenical text “ut unum sint“, ‘that they may be one’. We were told that, in Anglo-Saxon times, the maintenance of the Basilica of St. Paul was supported by English monarchs. The bestowal of a throne, therefore, drew on and revived an ancient bond.

It is said with truth that actions speak louder than words. The visit of King Charles to pray with Pope Leo was reported all around the globe. Their visible togetherness was something everyone could see and understand. And the giving a throne in one of the principal Roman churches speaks volumes about the healing and overcoming of historic divisions.

In a world which is polarised and divided, the Church’s mission to make known its unity feels ever more urgent and important. The enacted togetherness between the Pope and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England helps the world see that what unites us is much more than what divides us. It gives all of us hope and helps all of us believe.

About Bishop Robert

Bishop Robert is the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, diocesan bishop of the Diocese in Europe. He provides episcopal oversight, working with colleagues – lay and ordained – to shape the life of the whole Church through the Good News of Jesus Christ and, in so doing, proclaim God’s Kingdom.

Bishop Robert was consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral in July 2014 and has been a diocesan bishop since then.

Before his consecration, Bishop Robert was Chancellor of the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity, Brussels. He previously worked in parish ministry and theological education in Durham, England and was educated in Cambridge and Durham. His pre-ordination career was in engineering and business consultancy. He has published works on theological and psychological ideas of the self, St. Augustine, work and vocation.

Bishop Robert was appointed Chair of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission in 2022. In that capacity, he is also a member of the House of Bishops’ Standing Committee and Vice-Chair of the Church of England’s Council for Christian Unity. He represents the Archbishop of Canterbury with the European Institutions. He is the co-chair of the Reuilly Ecumenical Conversations between the Church of England and the French Protestant Church. Since 2018, he has been President of the Council of St. John’s College in the University of Durham.

My Journey to Full Communion with the See of Peter

The Common Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966, together with the Malta Report (1968), set the agenda for the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, of which I was a member for many years. This agenda was nothing less than the restoration of full communion in faith and sacramental life between the two traditions. Since then, ARCIC has produced a succession of agreements on Eucharist, Ministry, Authority, Salvation, Moral Teaching, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, matters which were seen as Church-dividing. In the year 2000, in spite of some new obstacles, Archbishop George Carey of Canterbury and Cardinal Cassidy of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity were able to call a meeting of bishops to consider how to take forward, in practical terms, the remarkable agreements already reached by ARCIC. Thus was formed the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission, of which I was also a member. (more…)

GAFCON leaders say ‘eyes are on Abuja’ as movement moves to reorder Anglican Communion

GAFCON, a conservative Anglican movement that claims to represent the majority of Anglicans worldwide, particularly in the Global South, is moving toward a formal reordering of global Anglican leadership following its October renunciation of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s authority.

On Oct. 16, in a declaration known as the “Martyr’s Day Statement,” GAFCON leaders formally rejected the authority of Dame Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, after she voiced support for same-sex blessings. The statement marked a decisive break with Canterbury-aligned structures and set the stage for what GAFCON leaders describe as a new phase in the life of the Anglican Communion.

The group has voiced growing concern about what it sees as the mainstream Communion’s departure from biblical teaching, citing recent controversies, including the appointment of the Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, a practising lesbian, as Archbishop of Wales.

The Most Revd Dr. Laurent Mbanda, chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, confirmed that invitations have been sent to 500 delegates for the first official meeting of what GAFCON is calling the Global Anglican Communion since the Oct. 16 statement — although 50 bishops have requested financial assistance to attend.

“As primates, we have issued this solemn summons because this is a vital moment of counsel, unity, and shared conviction for our Global Anglican Communion,” Mbanda said.

“Now that the future has arrived, we must come together to discern the path ahead.”

“I can say that the G26 Bishops’ Assembly in Abuja in March will be where there is clarity about the future of the Global Anglican Communion,” a GAFCON spokesperson told Christian Daily International.

The spokesperson also referred to an AnglicanTV Ministries’ interview, “GAFCON to Re-Order Communion” on YouTube on Dec. 11, when presenter Kevin Kallsen interviewed GAFCON General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison about the future of the Anglican movement.

Kallsen asked the bishop where GAFCON “will be” in five to 10 years, and in response, Donison said that “After Abuja, we’ll know more,” adding that “eyes are on Abuja to see how this reordering takes shape.”

“But I believe we’ll be doing what Anglicans have always done—rooted in tradition, expanding globally. I also believe the global church will increasingly help renew the Western church,” said Donison.

The bishop also said that the announcement by GAFCON renouncing the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury in October had been met with a “resounding alleluia” by Anglicans globally, especially in the Majority World.

“Praise God that we are finally reordering the Communion in a true global sense,” he said.

“In the Western churches, even among those very GAFCON-friendly, there have been good questions, especially from those still contending within Canterbury-aligned structures.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council, and the Primates’ Meeting are not essential to Anglican identity, according to the bishop.

“They are modern innovations,” he said in the interview. “Lambeth dates to 1867, the ACC to 1971, and the Primates’ Meeting to 1979. They were attempts to hold unity together, but they failed.

“Instead, leadership must be located in the global church. In Abuja, the primates who affirm the Jerusalem Declaration will together form a new council of primates and elect a chairman, a primus inter pares, first among equals. Leadership is shifting globally because Christianity itself has shifted globally.”

Donison said there had been “no desire for repentance” within the revisionist structures of the Anglican Consultative Council or Canterbury. 

“There has been no desire for repentance within those revisionist structures. If repentance had happened, that would have been the future. Since it hasn’t, the future is reordering. We are still praying for repentance, but we are moving forward.

“For 17 years, we’ve said don’t look to Canterbury to determine if you’re Anglican. What’s different now is that we’re saying look here instead. The locus of leadership has moved. Stop asking whether Canterbury will turn around. Let’s move forward and get on with mission.”

Kallsen pointed out that GAFCON had been described as the missional not political arm of the Anglican movement.

“That was accurate at the time,” responded Donison. “But GAFCON has done more structural work than any other body in global Anglicanism. We’ve established new provinces, consecrated new bishops, and created dioceses in England, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and among Muslim-background believers. We love mission, but we’ve also become structural and ecclesial because GAFCON actually does things.

“This is not a new communion. We are the ongoing Anglican Communion, now reordered to reflect its global reality. We are the supermajority. The fear is being labelled schismatic, but reformers have always been called schismatics. This is not schism; it is reordering under global leadership.”

Furthermore, the bishop acknowledged “pushback” by the GAFCON decision and that it is the “job” of the Anglican Communion Office to “say we’re illegitimate.”

“But Anglican identity has never depended on Canterbury,” he added, “That claim is ahistorical.

“GAFCON stands for the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. We confess together and therefore walk together. There is diversity on secondary issues, but not on first-order doctrinal issues. Endless dialogue without doctrinal clarity only preserves English dominance, and the world has changed.”

Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitive

A report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”

“The status quaestionis of historical research and theological investigation, as well as their mutual implications, rules out the possibility of moving in the direction of admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium, this assessment is strongly maintained, although it does not at present allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated, as is the case with priestly ordination.”

The above is the conclusion reached by the second commission chaired by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop emeritus of L’Aquila, Italy, which — at the request of Pope Francis — had examined the possibility of proceeding with the ordination of women as deacons and concluded its work in February. This is explained in the seven-page report the Cardinal sent to Pope Leo XIV on 18 September and which is now being made public at the Pope’s request.

During its first working session (2021), the Commission determined that “the Church has, at different times, in different places, and in various forms, recognised the title of deacon/deaconess with reference to women, though attributing to it no univocal meaning.” In 2021 the theological discussion unanimously concluded that “a systematic study of the diaconate, within the framework of the theology of the sacrament of Holy Orders, raises questions about the compatibility of the diaconal ordination of women with Catholic doctrine on ordained ministry.” The Commission also unanimously expressed support for the establishment of new ministries that “could contribute to synergy between men and women.”

In the second working session (July 2022), the Commission approved (with seven votes in favour and one against) the statement quoted in full at the beginning of this article, which rules out the possibility of proceeding toward the admission of women to the diaconate as a degree of Holy Orders, but without issuing “a definitive judgment” at this time.

At the last working session (February 2025), after the Synod had allowed anyone who wished to submit contributions, the Commission examined all the material received. “Although many interventions were submitted, the persons or groups who sent their writings numbered only twenty-two and represented few countries. Consequently, although the material is abundant and in some cases skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”

The report summarises arguments for and against. Supporters argue that the Catholic and Orthodox tradition of reserving diaconal ordination (as well as priestly and episcopal ordination) to men alone seems to contradict “the equal condition of male and female as the image of God,” “the equal dignity of both genders, based on this biblical reference”; the profession of faith that “there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all ‘one’ in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28); and social developments “which promote equal access for both genders to all institutional and operative functions.”

On the opposing side, the following thesis was advanced: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.” This paragraph was put to a vote and received five votes in favour of confirming it in this form, while the other five members voted to remove it.

By nine votes to one, the Commission expressed the hope that “women’s access to ministries instituted for the service of the community might be expanded (…) thus ensuring adequate ecclesial recognition of the diakonia of the baptised, particularly of women. Such recognition will be a prophetic sign, especially where women still suffer situations of gender discrimination.”

In his conclusion, Cardinal Petrocchi highlights the existence of “an intense dialectic” between two theological orientations. The first maintains that the ordination of a deacon is for ministry and not for priesthood: “this factor would open the way toward the ordination of women deacons.” The second, by contrast, insists “on the unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, together with the nuptial meaning of the three degrees that constitute it, and rejects the hypothesis of a female diaconate; it also notes that if the admission of women to the first degree of Holy Orders were approved, exclusion from the others would become inexplicable.”

For this reason, according to the Cardinal, it is essential, for continued study, to undertake “a rigorous and wide-ranging critical examination focused on the diaconate in itself—that is, on its sacramental identity and its ecclesial mission—clarifying certain structural and pastoral aspects that are currently not fully defined.” Indeed, there are entire continents in which the diaconal ministry is “almost nonexistent” and others where it is active with functions often “coinciding with roles proper to lay ministries or to altar servers in the liturgy.”

Report translated from the Italian original.

Vatican commission votes against ordaining female deacons

A Vatican commission studying the possibility of female deacons reported that the current state of historical and theological research “excludes the possibility of proceeding” toward admitting women to the diaconate, a conclusion that slows momentum on one of the church’s most debated questions while stopping short of a definitive no.

In a letter sharing the results of its work with Pope Leo XIV and released by the Vatican Dec. 4, the commission reported a 7-1 vote in favour of a statement concluding that the church cannot currently move toward admitting women to the third degree of holy orders, the diaconate.

“In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and ecclesiastical teaching, this assessment is strong, although it does not allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated at this time, as in the case of priestly ordination,” said the approved statement voted on in 2022.

Why only eight votes were recorded from the 10-member commission was not explained in the letter.

The “third degree” of the holy order refers to the diaconate as the foundational degree of ordained ministry. The episcopate (for bishops) and the presbyterate (for priests) represent the two other degrees which the church teaches are above the diaconate in the hierarchy of ordained ministry.

Yet a “purely historical perspective does not allow us to reach any definitive certainty,” wrote Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, president of the commission, introducing the commission’s results. “Ultimately, the question must be decided on a doctrinal level. Therefore, issues relating to the ordination of women as deacons remain open to further theological and pastoral study.”

The study commission was instituted in 2020, the second instituted by Pope Francis to consider the question of the female diaconate. The first commission, formed in 2016 to study the history of women deacons in the church, failed to produce a report of its conclusions.

A separate study group was formed out of the Synod of Synodality to look at various ministerial forms in the church, including the female diaconate, but that group recently communicated that the topic of women’s ordination would be left to the 2020 commission.

Petrocchi wrote that while the commission took into consideration submissions on the matter from the public, as requested during the Synod on Synodality, only 22 people or groups from a select few countries sent in entries, therefore “it cannot be considered as the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”

Additionally, the letter noted that the section of the final document of the Synod on Synodality that calls for continued study of the female diaconate received the highest number of “no” votes among any section of the document: 97 out of 364 voting members.

The letter also stated that the commission was evenly split, 5-5, on a statement that held Jesus’ masculinity and that of all who receive holy orders “is not accidental” but rather an “integral part of the sacramental identity.”

The commission did vote overwhelmingly, 9-to-1, in calling to “expand women’s access to ministries established for community service,” such as the ministry of catechist or lector formally instituted by Francis.

Ultimately, Petrocchi called for “maintaining a cautious approach to the issue of women in the diaconate,” and noted that the commissions have been unanimous in expressing the need for women to “express adequate participation and co-responsibility in the decision-making bodies of the Church, including through the creation of new lay ministries.”

Pope, Patriarch Urge Common Date for Easter

Pope Leo also said he had discussed the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine when he met with Türkiye’s president.

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople called on Christians of the East and West to finally agree on a common date for Easter.

During a meeting at the patriarchal palace on 29 November, the two leaders — who met to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — said the anniversary should inspire “new and courageous steps on the path toward unity,” including finding that common date.

In a joint declaration, Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew said: “We are grateful to divine providence that this year the whole Christian world celebrated Easter on the same day. It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year. We hope and pray that all Christians will, ‘in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,’ commit themselves to the process of arriving at a common celebration of the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The joint declaration also noted that part of the goal of Christianity is to contribute to peace among all people.

“Together we fervently raise our voices in invoking God’s gift of peace upon our world,” they said. “Tragically, in many regions of our world, conflict and violence continue to destroy the lives of so many. We appeal to those who have civil and political responsibilities to do everything possible to ensure that the tragedy of war ceases immediately, and we ask all people of goodwill to support our entreaty.”

The next day, on the flight from Türkiye to Lebanon, Pope Leo told reporters he had discussed the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza when he met privately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 27 November.

“On this trip, there was a special theme of being a messenger of peace, of wanting to promote peace throughout the region,” Pope Leo said.

As for Gaza, he said, “the Holy See for many years has publicly supported a proposal for a two-state solution” in the Holy Land, with Israel and Palestine being fully independent nations, secure within defined borders.

“We all know that right now Israel does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only possible solution to the conflict they continually live,” Pope Leo said.

“We are also friends with Israel,” he said, “and with both sides we try to be a mediating voice that can help approach a solution with justice for all.”

Pope Leo also noted that Erdogan repeatedly had offered to mediate direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in a search for peace.“Unfortunately,” the pope said, “we’ve not yet seen a solution, but today there are concrete proposals for peace, and we hope that President Erdogan, with his relationship with the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, can help in this sense to promote dialogue, a ceasefire, and see how to resolve this conflict, this war in Ukraine.”