Today, March 25, 2026, something sacred stirred in the heart of the Church.
Sarah Mullally was installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury—the first woman to serve in this historic role in the life of the Church of England.
For many, this is a milestone.
For me—as a Roman Catholic woman priest and bishop in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests—it feels like a moment of grace breaking open. A moment we have prayed for, worked toward, and trusted the Spirit would one day reveal.
This is more than history being made.
It is the Holy Spirit whispering—perhaps even proclaiming—“See, I am doing something new.”
A Gospel Pattern of Inclusion
In the Gospels, Jesus Christ consistently steps across boundaries others were unwilling to cross.
He speaks with the Samaritan woman and entrusts her with the Good News.
He affirms Mary of Bethany as a disciple at his feet.
He commissions Mary Magdalene as the first witness to the Resurrection—the apostle to the apostles.
The pattern is unmistakable:
where structures exclude, the Spirit includes.
Archbishop Mullally’s installation is not simply an institutional development—it is a living proclamation of this Gospel truth. It reminds us that leadership in the Body of Christ is not determined by gender, but by call, courage, and fidelity to love.
A Sign of What Is Already Emerging
As a pastoral minister in an inclusive Catholic community, I recognize this moment not as something entirely new, but as something deeply familiar.
Across the world, in communities often unseen or unrecognized by official structures, women are already
-preaching the Gospel
-presiding at Eucharist, and at other sacramental rites
-accompanying the marginalized, wounded and the seeking
-leading with compassion, and working for justice for all
The Spirit has not waited for permission.
The Spirit is already moving.
Archbishop Mullally’s leadership shines a light on what so many of us are already living: a Church becoming what it is called to be—a community of equals.
A Loving Challenge to the Roman Catholic Church
This moment also invites us—especially within the Roman Catholic Church—to reflect with honesty and hope:
What might we learn from our Anglican sisters and brothers?
We know that teachings once thought unchangeable have developed over time. The Church’s understanding of slavery, religious freedom, and the role of the laity has deepened through prayerful discernment.
Why should the question of women in ordained ministry be any different?
This is not a question of abandoning tradition.
It is a question of allowing tradition to grow, guided by the Spirit who is always leading us deeper into truth.
The View from the Margins
In the Roman Catholic Women Priests movement, we live this reality now.
We gather around open tables where all are welcome.
We proclaim a Gospel of radical inclusion.
We practice leadership as shared service—not domination.
And yet, we remain on the margins.
But history—and the Spirit—teach us something important:
what is marginalized today often becomes the heart of the Church tomorrow.
The Spirit so often begins at the edges—among those willing to risk, to hope, to love beyond boundaries—and then slowly transforms the center.
Archbishop Mullally’s installation feels like one of those moments when the edges begin to reshape the whole.
A Church We Can Imagine Together
This day invites us not only to celebrate, but to dream.
A Church where women and men share equally in ordained ministry, and the inclusive love of Christ is not just preached—but embodied.
This is not a distant vision.
It is already being born.
The installation of Sarah Mullally is more than a milestone.
It is a doorway.
And perhaps, in this moment, the Spirit is gently inviting us—
not just to admire it—
but to step through it.
May we have the courage to walk together into that future, as a true discipleship of equals.
A Prayer from the Heart
As I hold this moment in prayer, I feel both deep gratitude and a holy longing.
Gratitude—for the courage of those who have walked this path before us, often at great personal cost.
Longing—for the day when the Roman Catholic Church will fully embrace the gifts of women and all genders in ordained ministry.
And so I pray:
Holy Wisdom, Sophia,
you who call women, men, and people of every gender to serve your people in love—
Open the hearts of your Church.
Expand our vision.
Free us from fear.
May we become a community of equals,
where every voice is honored,
every gift is welcomed,
and your presence shines through all who are called.
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