Congratulations, Bishop Sarah

A former residentiary canon of Salisbury Cathedral has been announced as the new Bishop of London.

Number 10 announced earlier today the appointment of the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally DBE, currently Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter, as the new bishop of the nation’s capital diocese. Sarah was Canon Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral from 2012-15.

Bishop Nicholas said, “I am delighted by the appointment of Sarah Mullally as Bishop of London – good news for her, for the Diocese of London, and the Church of England. Sarah was Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral from 2012-15 and was a much-valued figure in the Cathedral and in the Diocese, bringing considerable senior experience from her secular career and a deep pastoral concern.”

Canon Edward Probert, Acting Dean of Salisbury, added, “I am delighted Sarah Mullally has been appointed Bishop of London. She was a colleague and neighbour for three years, and she remains a good friend. Everyone at Salisbury has the highest respect for her, and remembers her time here with affection. She will be in our thoughts and prayers as she embarks on this important and challenging ministry in London.”

Bishop Sarah said, “It is a great honour to be nominated to the See of London. Having lived and worked in London for over 32 years, the thought of returning here is about returning home. I am often asked what it has been like to have had two careers, first in the NHS and now in the Church. I prefer to think that I have always had one vocation: to follow Jesus Christ, to know him and to make him known, always seeking to live with compassion in the service of others, whether as a nurse, a priest, or a bishop. To be given the opportunity to do that now in this vibrant world-city is a wonderful privilege.”

Archbishop Justin Welby also welcomed the news, saying, "Bishop Sarah brings to this remarkable ministry in this great city an extraordinary experience and profound gifts which are guided by her faith in Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of all that she is. 

"In her calling as a Bishop she has demonstrated that she is a shepherd of God's people, a guardian of the Christian faith and someone with a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others through her teaching and her actions.

"As a nurse, she specialised in cancer care, rising to become the Government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England (effectively the head nurse of the NHS in England), responsible for over 400,000 nurses. In this profession, as a priest in Southwark, Canon at Salisbury Cathedral and later bishop in Devon she has sought to serve others and to make Christ known in the world. These qualities are at the heart of the calling to be to be Bishop of London.  

"As a Bishop in the wider Church of England, she has had a particular care for survivors of abuse. Under the overall leadership of the Bishop of Bath and Wells (the lead Bishop on Church of England safeguarding) she will continue to have an emphasis on this aspect of her ministry

"As one of the first women consecrated as a bishop in the Church of England, she has not only blazed a trail for others but lived out the principles of mutual flourishing and acceptance which I know will continue to bear fruit in London."

You can read a blog by Bishop Sarah on her appointment here.