THE Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Revd Beverley Mason, is to change into 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 house within the diocese and has offered us her ministry and repair within the Province and within the Teulu Asaph [diocesan family]. I look ahead to commissioning her formally on the Chrism Eucharist,” he wrote.
In an announcement 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 his or her warm welcome, love and affirmation.
“St Asaph has opened the door upon a latest vista and I look forward with hope to a restored and renewed ministry within the Province of the Church in Wales.”
On her status within the diocese of Liverpool, she said that she would “proceed to attend and push for a correct resolution to my unhappy situation. Today, it’s 574 days since I exercised an episcopal ministry. It feels interminable — as I imagine it does for you. Thank you on 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 criticism that she had made in regards to the then Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath (News, 31 January).
Dr Perumbalath resigned after Bishop Mason and one other woman made allegations of misconduct against him, which he denied. “This shouldn’t be 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 didn’t bring a Clergy Discipline Measure case against him throughout the deadline, and was denied permission to bring a case out of time (News, 28 February).
An announcement from the diocese of Liverpool said: “Bishop Bev stays the Bishop of Warrington and we proceed to carry Bishop Bev in our prayers as she decides her way forward during this era of discernment and transition.”
It added: “We are glad that she has found a technique to proceed offering ministry and support throughout the wider Church.”
