Rev Paul Williamson, who was priest in charge of St George’s Hanworth until he reached the church retirement age of 70, was escorted from the cathedral after he shouted “I object” during the service.
The 77-year-old who carries a walking stick, said he was ready to walk out quietly but was “treated brusquely”.
During the ceremony, the Vicar General said there had been "no valid objection" to Dame Sarah being confirmed as archbishop, something Rev Williamson disputes.
“It was nonsense to say that there were no objections," he said. "I objected and I’m not into making a scene in the house of God”.
Lambeth Palace told Premier that public notices are always displayed before the Confirmation of Election for any diocesan bishop at the place where the Confirmation is due to take place. On this occasion, ahead of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Confirmation of Election, notices were displayed outside Lambeth Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral.
However, Rev Williamson said it would have been impossible for people outside London to read the notices and be aware they had to raise an objection before the King signed the Confirmation papers in December.
Rev Williamson said he had last week met the Vicar General of the Province of Canterbury, Timothy Briden, to document his own formal objection ahead of Sarah Mullally’s confirmation.
Premier has seen the documents which outline what Rev Williamson described as “three impediments” to the elevation of Bishop Sarah to the see of Canterbury. He cited the death of Fr Alan Griffin, a priest who took his own life after being falsely accused of abuse in the Diocese of London. A coroner strongly criticised the way the case was handled. Bishop Sarah apologised “unreservedly” to Fr Alan’s family and friends.
Rev Williamson also alleged that Bishop Sarah had been too slow to act on information contained in files in the case of Martin Sargeant, a Diocese of London employee. Sargeant was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 for defrauding the London Diocesan Fund of over £5m over a decade. He had also compiled rumours about dozens of priests in the diocese, which led to the compilation of files into 42 vicars which became known as the ‘Brain Dump’.
Rev Paul also disclosed to the Vicar General that he had himself been driven to contemplate suicide over what he claimed was a lack of care by Sarah Mullally when he was evicted from his clergy housing in 2024. He claims that despite Lambeth Palace contacting Bishop Sarah to inform her of his situation, her only course of action was an email three weeks later containing information about a support group.
The Diocese of London had previously said his tenure in office had come to an end in 2018 when he turned 70 and he had been given additional time to stay in the rectory rent-free until 2019. He continued to remain in the rectory until his eviction.
In a statement at the time, a spokesperson for the Diocese of London said: "Mr Williamson’s eviction follows the issuing of a possession order by Staines County Court. The diocese has offered pastoral and practical support to Mr Williamson over the last six years, and has done so again ahead of today, including the offer of help in finding suitable accommodation, which we are reassured to know he has secured.”
In a statement in December, Bishop Sarah said: “I understand why now, as I prepare to become Archbishop of Canterbury, there will be renewed scrutiny of past cases, and especially my role… we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, regardless of our role in the Church.
“I continue to be determined to improve safeguarding across the Church of England.”