Wakefield Cathedral responds to appointment of new Archbishop of Canterbury
Wakefield Cathedral has responded to the news that a new Archbishop of Canterbury has been named.
It was announced today (Friday) that Dame Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, will become the next Archbishop of Canterbury – the first woman to hold the office.
Acting Dean of Wakefield, Dr Philip Hobday, said: “Wakefield Cathedral joins people across the Church of England, and Christians around the world, in praying for Bishop Sarah as she becomes the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
“Bishop Sarah will now bring her substantial experience of church life and public service to serving the Diocese of Canterbury, Church of England, and wider Anglican Communion.
“As she helps the Church of England as we pray, share the good news of God’s love, serve local communities, and continue the work of making our churches safe and welcoming places for everyone, she and her family – and our friends at Canterbury Cathedral – will be much in our prayers over the coming months.”
Bishop Sarah will be installed in her new role in March 2026 in a service at Canterbury Cathedral.
On her appointment, Bishop Sarah said: “As I respond to the call of Christ to this new ministry, I do so in the same spirit of service to God and to others that has motivated me since I first came to faith as a teenager.
“At every stage of that journey, through my nursing career and Christian ministry, I have learned to listen deeply – to people and to God’s gentle prompting – to seek to bring people together to find hope and healing.
“I want, very simply, to encourage the Church to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions.
“And I look forward to sharing this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion.
“I know this is a huge responsibility but I approach it with a sense of peace and trust in God to carry me as He always has.”
Wakefield cathedral is currently in the process of appointing a new Dean of Wakefield, with an announcement expected in November.