By Tony O’Reilly-
The Church of England’s lead bishop for safeguarding has said that the new Archbishop of Canterbury must be allowed “room to lead”.Rt Rev Joanne Grenfell was talking just days before Rt Rev Dame Sarah Mullally is confirmed in her role as archbishop on Wednesday at a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Her comments come after calls for the confirmation to be paused in the light of safeguarding failings in the Diocese of London. Questions over Bishop Sarah’s safeguarding record while serving as Bishop of London have escalated after a Premier Christian News investigation into the case of a man known as Survivor N. The Church of England restarted a complaint into a priest at the centre of N’s allegations despite Bishop Sarah saying it had been “fully dealt with”. The Bishop of Fulham, Rt Rev Jonathan Baker is currently overseeing that complain
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Recent investigations, notably into a case involving “Survivor N,” raised questions about Mullally’s handling of abuse allegations during her tenure as Bishop of London.
Grenfell argued that while public scrutiny is “right,” the incoming Archbishop needs the space to implement cultural and systemic changes. She defended Mullally’s record, stating she had witnessed her “full commitment to safeguarding” and her refusal to “look away” from poor practice.
The Weight of History: As the first woman appointed to the role in the Church’s nearly 1,400-year history, Mullally faces unique opposition from conservative factions within the global Anglican Communion.
In a statement to the Press Association, Bishop Joanne who was installed as Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich at a ceremony at the weekend, said:
“Scrutiny is right – but let’s also give Sarah room to lead as we work to grow a safer Church that serves communities across England, bringing people to Christ. I will be praying for her as she begins this vital ministry.”
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The bishop added that Dame Sarah showed “full commitment to safeguarding – strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation…
“She gets it, she cares about it and she prioritises it.”
She added: “In areas where poor practice had gone unchallenged in the past, she didn’t look away. She tackled issues with clarity and principle, and made sure concerns were followed through with care and rigour.”
Responding to the comments on social media site X London vicar Robert Thompson posted: “A Church that shields its leaders can’t preach trust. Survivors don’t need reassurance — they need accountability. It has become very clear given all that has occurred since @bishopSarahM was announced as the new @OfficeofABC that means reforming the episcopacy. There is far too much unaccountable power in the hands of too few for too long. If Sarah wants to make a real long term impact upon the church that rebuilds trust that is where we now need focus.”
Sarah Mullally’s path to the highest office in the Church of England is marked by several notable “firsts” and a distinguished career in secular public service.
Before full-time ministry, she spent 35 years as a nurse. In 1999, she became the youngest-ever Chief Nursing Officer for England. For her services to nursing, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2005.
A “comprehensive girl” with dyslexia, Mullally broke the traditional “Oxbridge” mould for high-ranking clergy. She trained at the South East Institute for Theological Education and was ordained as a priest in 2002.
In 2015, she was consecrated as Bishop of Crediton, one of the first women to reach the episcopate. Three years later, she was installed as the 133rd Bishop of London, the third most senior position in the Church. Last year in Named Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding Justin Welby following his resignation over a separate safeguarding scandal.
Personal Life: She is married to Eamonn Mullally, an IT architect, and they have two adult children. She is an amateur potter and a self-described feminist.
Mullally has vowed to lead a “safeguarding reset” within the Church, moving beyond administrative tasks to treat it as a “Gospel imperative”. Her key proposals include:
Mandatory Reporting: She explicitly supports the introduction of a legal duty to report all safeguarding concerns and abuse allegations to designated officers at the first available opportunity.
Independent Scrutiny: A cornerstone of her plan is the implementation of external, independent oversight to ensure transparency and accountability at every level of the Church hierarchy.
Mullally has committed to fostering a culture that actively listens to and prioritises the needs of victim-survivors, aiming to rebuild the “deeply damaged” trust in Church processes.
Addressing Power Dynamics: She has stated that the “misuse of power” must be confronted to create a genuine culture of safety and well-being.
Sarah Mullally DBE
Wednesday, 28 January 2026 at St Paul’s Cathedral. At this legal ceremony, she officially becomes the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.
Presidential Address: She is expected to appear at the General Synod in February 2026 to deliver her first major address to the Church’s governing body.
Formal Installation (Enthronement): Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at Canterbury Cathedral. This service, held on the Feast of the Annunciation, marks the symbolic start of her public ministry across the nation and the global Anglican Communion.
Mullally often describes herself as a “comprehensive girl” with dyslexia who doesn’t fit the traditional mold of senior clergy. Her background provides a distinct perspective:
Clinical Roots: She trained as a cancer nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital and rose to become the youngest Chief Nursing Officer for England in 1999.
One Vocation: She views her transition from nursing to the priesthood not as a career change, but as a continuation of one vocation: “to follow Jesus Christ… and live with compassion in the service of others”. She broke tradition by completing a non-residential theological training programme at the South East Institute for Theological Education while still working in her senior NHS role.
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