DR ROSEMARIE Mallett, a leading figure in the Church of England made history this morning to become the first black female Bishop of Croydon.
The widely admired Dr Mallett was consecrated as the new Bishop of the south London diocese in a special ceremony at Southwark Cathedral this morning.
She becomes the second Bishop of Croydon of Barbadian heritage – the first being the Rt Revd Wilfred Wood who served as Bishop from 1985 to 2003 and only the second black female Bishop in the Church of England following the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin’s appointment as Bishop of Dover in 2019.
In May this year the Queen approved Dr Mallett’s appointment as Bishop. Dr Mallet, who was ordained a priest in 2005, previously served as Archdeacon of Croydon. The new Bishop succeeds the Rt Revd Jonathan Clark who left the Diocese in March.
For over two decades, Dr Mallett has served as Trustee and Director of a number of social action charities across London, which focus on issues such as equality and community cohesion. She has served as Equalities Commissioner in Lambeth, and acts as an adviser to a Croydon community action project which focuses on reducing serious youth violence.
She also authored the Diocese of Southwark’s Anti-Racism Charter which was unanimously approved by the Diocesan Synod in March 2021.
Honour
Speaking about her appointment Dr Mallett said: “I am thankful to God for the honour and privilege of serving as the next Bishop of Croydon. I love the diversity of this area geographically, ethnically and culturally.
“I will serve the Episcopal Area of Croydon and East Surrey and the people with great pride and do my very best to make God’s word and his love be known, while championing social justice causes across the area for people of all ages.”
Among those who welcomed her appointment was the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark.
Joy
He said: “I am very grateful to all those who have worked with me to ensure that the appointment of the next Bishop of Croydon has gone forward swiftly. I am delighted that The Venerable Dr Rosemarie Mallett will be joining the Episcopal Team as Bishop for the gloriously diverse Croydon Episcopal Area which stretches well beyond the M25.”
He continued: “It has been a joy to see Rosemarie flourish as Archdeacon of Croydon with her passion for building community cohesion as well as championing racial and social justice. I have asked her to continue to focus on these as a bishop, confident that Rosemarie will be a great blessing to the parishes and people of the Croydon Episcopal Area and wider Diocese.”
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The Anglican Church for two hundred years promoted the Creed of African Inferiority (CAI).
The Anglican Creed of African Inferiority provided the foundation for African-heritage people to be regarded as cattle; as soul deprived cattle, as inferior beings.
The Creed of African Inferiority influenced all of English and Caucasian Europe’s social; academic, historical, political, scientific, theological and biological teachings about African-heritage people.
The Anglican Church MUST confront its Creed of African Inferiority as the best method of addressing and ending the skin-colour racism that has shaped Caucasian-western Europe’s thinking and behaviour for the last four hundred years.