From Birkenhead to Rome

“It was a profound honour to join the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Sarah Mullally, on a landmark pilgrimage to Rome this spring. Representing both Christ Church Birkenhead and the Diocese of Chester at the heart of the global Church was a profound experience.

“The four day pilgrimage gathered senior Anglican leaders and representatives from across Christian traditions, centred on prayer, unity, and deepening the relationship between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. It came soon after Archbishop Sarah’s own Pilgrimage ahead of her installation at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026, and it carried that same spirit of prayerful reflection into an international setting of encounter and dialogue.

“My connection with Rome goes back some years, through ongoing work with the Anglican Centre and relationships formed with those across the Roman Catholic Church during my time in the city and beyond. In that context, I have served on behalf of Archbishop Ian Ernest, then the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Personal Representative to the Holy See. During this time I had the privilege of accompanying him on official visits to the UK, including engagements at Lambeth Palace, St Asaph, and other diocesan contexts. It was also my honour to chair a major international exhibition in Rome, organised alongside a meeting between the then Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis. That exhibition, opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, was delivered in partnership with Lambeth Palace and several Pontifical institutions, and attended by senior figures from across the Anglican Communion, the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian traditions.

“During this most recent visit, I was present at the installation of Bishop Anthony Ball as the new Archbishop of Canterbury’s Personal Representative to the Holy See. The service, held at the Church of the Gesù, closely associated with St Ignatius of Loyola, included the installation by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Sarah Mullally. It was humbling to take full part in the liturgy, joining the procession alongside senior clergy and church leaders from across the Anglican Communion and beyond. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gave the homily, reflecting on the power of shared prayer as a witness to the world. It was a privilege to be present there, representing Birkenhead and the Diocese of Chester at such a historic moment.

“Some of the most treasured moments of the pilgrimage came during worship at St Paul’s Within the Walls, the Episcopal Church in Rome. At Evensong, Archbishop Sarah preached a message of hope and clarity, offering a renewed calling to reconciliation, deeper communion, and a shared life in Christ that reaches beyond Christian divisions. Drawing on Mary’s “yes” to God, she spoke of unity beginning in faithful, sometimes uncertain obedience, responding wholeheartedly to God’s call even when we cannot yet see the full picture.

“This theme continued on from Good Shepherd Sunday at All Saints Anglican Church, where Bishop Robert Innes preached to a congregation that included those preparing for baptism, which Archbishop Sarah later administered. Bishop Robert encouraged us to listen attentively for the voice of Christ, the Good Shepherd, and reflected on Archbishop Sarah’s vision of leadership shaped by calmness, courage, and compassion. I found this renewed emphasis on listening to Christ’s voice both personally striking and deeply resonant for the wider Church.

“One of the most moving moments of the pilgrimage came when Archbishop Sarah met with Pope Leo, a meeting that has since been captured in the momentous photographs circulating widely in the press this week. Seeing those images now, I am reminded of the warmth, prayerfulness, and genuine friendship that marked that encounter. They speak powerfully of a growing closeness between Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions, and of a shared desire to walk together more deeply in Christ.

“I had the opportunity to share news of the life of Christ Church Birkenhead and the Diocese of Chester with Archbishop Sarah. She asked that her greetings, thanks, and encouragement be passed on, urging us to continue in faithfulness to the way of Christ.

“It was a moving experience to play a part in such a historic moment. I was humbled by it and left hopeful that we might continue to walk more deeply with all further into the heart of Christ, pursuing his ways together, that we might be one.

Rev Dan Harris