The first woman to be named Archbishop of Canterbury said the Church of England has a “responsibility” to stand with the Jewish community against anti-Semitism after the attack at a synagogue in Manchester.
Sarah Mullally – who was also the first woman to take the role of top bishop in the Church of England in 2018 – was named on Friday morning as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
A former chief nursing officer for England, Ms Mullally (63), a mother of two and the Bishop of London, is now Archbishop of Canterbury-designate.
Before being ordained, Ms Mullally worked as a cancer nurse in the NHS, and became the government’s chief nursing officer for England aged 37. She was made a dame in recognition of her outstanding contribution to nursing.
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She is married to Irishman Eamonn Mullally, a London-based architect, and they have two grown-up children, Liam and Grace.
Ms Mullally, who was born in Woking and became a Christian at age 16, referred to the synagogue attack in Manchester in her first remarks after being named Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday.
“Mindful of the horrific violence of yesterday’s attack on a synagogue in Manchester, we are witnessing hatred that rises up through fractures across our communities,” she said.
“I know that the God who is with us draws near to those who suffer.
“We, then, as a church, have a responsibility to be a people who stand with the Jewish community against anti-Semitism in all its forms.
[ Manchester synagogue attack: Two victims shot, one fatally, by policeOpens in new window ]
“Hatred and racism of any kind cannot be allowed to tear us apart.”
She takes on the role as the Church of England tries to tackle key issues, including that of same-sex marriage, declining church attendance, restoring trust after abuse scandals as well has how to respond to Christian nationalism on the far right.
The global role played the archbishop as head of 85 million Anglicans worldwide - including the Church of Ireland - means previous holders of the position have walked a tightrope between conservative churches in African nations, where homosexuality is outlawed in some places, and more liberal voices in the west.
She will legally become the archbishop at a ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral in January, followed by a formal enthronement service at a later date where members of the royal family are likely to be present.
British prime minister Keir Starmer welcomed her appointment, noting that she is “the first woman to hold the role”.
The appointment of a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury had been widely anticipated as this was the first time the role has been chosen since the Church of England allowed women to become bishops in 2014.
She has previously been outspoken in her opposition to the assisted dying bill.
The archbishop is regarded as the spiritual leader of the Anglican church all over the world and has a seat in the House of Lords.
Her name was passed to Downing Street by the Crown Nominations Commission after months of deliberation by a 20-member panel, of which 17 are voting members and 12 must agree.
After agreement, in line with tradition, the process involves a name being given to the British prime minister and then passed to the monarch. – Guardian/PA
