Sarah Mullally: the ‘solid, stable’ pick to steady Anglican ship as archbishop of Canterbury

Mullally brings unshowy calm and competence to role leading Church of England at a difficult moment When Sarah Mullally was announced as the 106th archbishop of Canterbury in October, the choice of the first woman to occupy the role of de facto leader of the Church of England and global Anglican communion was a landmark moment. Her appointment sent a strong message to those in the pews and pulpits of English parishes and more than 165 countries, a significant proportion of whom still refuse to accept female priests. Eighteen months after Mullally broke down while speaking publicly of institutional barriers and “micro-aggressions” because of her gender, the church’s stained glass ceiling was shattered. Since her appointment, Mullally has acknowledged the “huge weight of responsibility” of her new role. “As a shepherd, I will strive to be calm, consistent and compassionate to all,” she said in her first presidential address to the C of E’s national assembly, the General Synod, last month. The theme running through her life was “washing feet, serving and caring for others,” she added. Mullally, a former chief nursing officer who was officially installed in her new