THE Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Revd Beverley Mason, is to become an honorary assistant bishop in St Asaph diocese, it was announced this week.
Bishop Mason’s appointment in Wales was announced in an ad clerum dated 1 April from the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron. He wrote that he was “pleased” that Bishop Mason had accepted the position.
“Bishop Bev has a home in the diocese and has offered us her ministry and service in the Province and in the Teulu Asaph [diocesan family]. I look forward to commissioning her formally at the Chrism Eucharist,” he wrote.
In a statement posted on the diocese of Liverpool’s website last Friday, Bishop Mason wrote that she was “humbled and deeply grateful to Bishop Gregory and colleagues in St Asaph for their warm welcome, love and affirmation.
“St Asaph has opened the door upon a new vista and I look forward with hope to a restored and renewed ministry in the Province of the Church in Wales.”
On her status in the diocese of Liverpool, she said that she would “continue to wait and push for a proper resolution to my unhappy situation. Today, it is 574 days since I exercised an episcopal ministry. It feels interminable — as I imagine it does for you. Thank you for your kind support, resilience and patience.”
Bishop Mason has been on a leave of absence from Liverpool diocese since autumn 2023, and revealed in January that her absence was connected to a complaint that she had made about the then Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath (News, 31 January).
Dr Perumbalath resigned after Bishop Mason and another woman made allegations of misconduct against him, which he denied. “This is not a resignation occasioned by any fault or liability,” he said, suggesting that he had been subject to a “trial by media” (News, 31 January).
Bishop Mason has not disclosed details of her allegations of misconduct against Dr Perumbalath. She did not bring a Clergy Discipline Measure case against him within the time limit, and was denied permission to bring a case out of time (News, 28 February).
A statement from the diocese of Liverpool said: “Bishop Bev remains the Bishop of Warrington and we continue to hold Bishop Bev in our prayers as she decides her way forward during this period of discernment and transition.”
It added: “We are glad that she has found a way to continue offering ministry and support within the wider Church.”