Updated · RNS | Covering the world of religion. · Apr 24
Archbishop Sarah Mullally visits Rome for ecumenical talks with Pope Leo XIV
Updated
Updated · RNS | Covering the world of religion. · Apr 24
Archbishop Sarah Mullally visits Rome for ecumenical talks with Pope Leo XIV
10 articles · Updated · RNS | Covering the world of religion. · Apr 24
Mullally, the first woman archbishop of Canterbury, will meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on April 27 during her first overseas trip since her installation.
Her four-day pilgrimage includes visits to the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, meetings with Anglican communities, and formal theological dialogue with Catholic leaders to improve relations.
The visit highlights ongoing challenges, such as differing views on women clergy and shared Communion, but aims to deepen Anglican-Catholic collaboration and public witness amid global calls for peace and unity.
As Anglicans split, what does this Rome visit reveal about the future of global Christianity?
Does the Pope's welcome for a female Archbishop signal a shift on women's roles?
How will Mullally's 'doer' leadership style fare in theological talks with the Vatican?
Is this high-profile visit merely a diplomatic gesture with no chance of healing deep divides?
Beyond symbolism, what concrete steps for unity can emerge from this historic meeting?
Can two churches with different views on authority ever truly achieve full communion?
Archbishop Sarah Mullally’s 2026 Vatican Visit: Marking 60 Years of Anglican-Catholic Dialogue Amidst New Divisions
Overview
In April 2026, Archbishop Sarah Mullally made her first foreign visit to Rome, continuing a historic Anglican-Catholic dialogue that began with Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI's 1966 meeting and Common Declaration. During her visit, Mullally met privately with Pope Leo XIV, wore the symbolic episcopal ring gifted to Ramsey, and commissioned Bishop Anthony Ball as her representative to the Holy See. While this visit reinforced shared commitments to peace and justice, Mullally's role as the first female Archbishop sparked rejection from conservative Anglican groups like GAFCON, complicating Anglican-Catholic relations. Despite ongoing theological differences, both communions remain engaged in dialogue and practical cooperation.