Anglican head Carey to retire

Carey: Grown in stature over a difficult decade

LONDON, England -- George Carey has announced he is stepping down as archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Anglican church with a worldwide congregation of 70 million.

Dr. Carey, 66, said his retirement would take effect on October 31.

Carey has presided over the Church of England during a difficult decade, when it battled over the ordination of women and moves to establish closer ties with other Christian denominations.

He tried to end infighting and restore the appeal of a church that has seen its following plummet in recent decades.

He said: "By the end of October I shall have served 11 and half years in a demanding yet wonderfully absorbing and rewarding post.

"I feel certain this will be the right and proper time to stand down. I look forward to exciting opportunities and challenges in the coming months, and then to fresh ones in the years that follow."

MORE STORIES • East End archbishop led by example

A statement from Lambeth Palace said Carey will continue to carry out all the duties and responsibilities of the archbishop of Canterbury, both for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, as normal until the autumn.

The statement added that Carey's intentions have been made known to Queen Elizabeth II, who is supreme governor of the Church of England, and who formally appoints an archbishop of Canterbury.

The Crown Appointments Commission will draw up a shortlist of two possible successors and this will go to Prime Minister Tony Blair for one name to be approved by the Queen.

Carey has gained steadily in public respect throughout his term as head of the Anglican church and he is most recently remembered for wise words at a service in Westminster Abbey, London, in November which remembered the victims of September 11.

Efforts must be made to mend "our wonderful but broken world" he told the congregation highlighting the acts of heroism and selflessness at Ground Zero.

'Immense integrity'

Commenting on Tuesday's announcement, Downing Street expressed Prime Minister Tony Blair's admiration for Dr Carey's leadership.

"He has great admiration and respect for the work that he has done over the last decade in guiding the Church through a period of change," Blair's official spokesman said.

"In his role as head of the Anglican Church he has worked tirelessly at home and abroad."

The leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, said he and Carey had worked well together in "ecumenical endeavour."

"Dr. Carey has had to live through some difficult times as archbishop of Canterbury," he said.

"As leader of the Anglican Communion he emerged as someone of immense integrity, zeal and courage.

"I am sure there will be very many, like myself, who will express their appreciation of his considerable achievements in a most demanding role and who will miss him when he steps down as archbishop."

Leading candidates to succeed Carey include, topically, the Rt. Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali, 52, the bishop of Rochester, who was born in Pakistan and is an authority on Christian-Muslim relations and Church history.

Nazir-Ali, a conservative, won universal respect for his insight into Islam following the September 11 attacks and is seen as a candidate who would appeal to Anglicans outside Britain.

The leading liberal contender is said to be the archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, 51, a former Professor of Divinity at Oxford University.

Other possible candidates include the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev. Richard Chartres, 54, a conservative, who has opposed women priests, the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev. James Jones, 53, who has been billed as Blair's favourite, and the Rt Rev. Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St Albans.

Number two in the Anglican hierarchy, the archbishop of York, Most Rev. Dr. David Hope, has indicated he will rule himself out of the contest.