Dear brothers and sisters of the Richborough Family,

Peace be with you!

You will know that it has been announced today the Crown has nominated the present Bishop of London, The Rt Red & Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

This is a historic moment in the life of the Church of England, the Diocese of Canterbury and the wider Anglican Communion. Our first response to the news is to assure the Archbishop-designate of our goodwill and prayers as she prepares to begin her new ministry among us.

As Catholic Christians living out our life and ministry faithfully in the Church of England we give thanks for our common life with all who are inheritors of “the same Anglican tradition, the same canonical structure, the same Christian family, sharing in mission to the communities we seek to serve”. 1

We do so conscious that the distinct and particular vocation within the Church of England of The Society under the patronage of St Wilfrid and St Hilda, is to continue to contribute to the breadth of the Church of England’s theological inheritance.

In line with the Society’s founding documents and the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests and the Five Guiding Principles, made without limit of time, we in the Richborough Family continue to believe not only that the Church of England’s mission would be diminished without our contribution but that we too would be diminished without our continued active engagement with the life, work and witness of the Church of England?. In that spirit of mutual enrichment we look forward with hope to supporting Bishop Sarah in the responsibilities of her office and ministry.

Standing in the historic succession of apostolic ministry, with the sacramental assurance that offers us, we give thanks that God, in his providence, has placed us here at this time. We have inherited the Catholic tradition as Anglicans, so we are called to confidently and faithfully live that life out and hand it

on.

We will continue to be faithful to our calling to assist the Church of England in fulfilling its commitment to the full, visible unity of the one Church of Jesus Christ 3 whilst seeking to flourish within the life and structures of the Church of England and to make a positive contribution to mission and growth.

With my constant prayer and thanksgiving for your faithfulness and ministry.