THE Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Revd Bev Mason, has identified herself because the bishop who made allegations of misconduct against the Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, who resigned earlier on Thursday.
In a letter sent on Thursday afternoon to clergy within the diocese of Liverpool, Bishop Mason, the suffragan within the diocese, writes that, in March 2023, she was advised of a criticism against Dr Perumbalath. The criticism and subsequent investigation “raised what I think were significant concerns”, she writes, and this “included my very own disclosure”.
Dr Perumbalath, announcing his resignation, reiterated his denial of allegations first published by Channel 4 News on Tuesday evening (News, 30 January).
On Tuesday, Channel 4 News reported that an unnamed bishop had made allegations of “sexual harassment”, and described the opposite allegation — on which more detail was published — as certainly one of “sexual assault”.
In Thursday’s letter, Bishop Mason didn’t provide details of her disclosure, but confirmed that she was the second complainant.
“The focus of my concerns centred around due process,” she writes. “Throughout these past 510 days I actually have remained consistent and chronic in my pursuit of proper and appropriate ecclesiastical judicial process. A bishop can’t be above the law.”
Last April, it was announced at Liverpool Cathedral’s chrism eucharist, to which all clergy within the diocese were invited, that Bishop Mason was “away from the diocese” (News, 5 April 2024). The reference to “510 days” dates back to September 2023.
Dr Perumbalath legally became Bishop of Liverpool in January 2023, before his enthronement the next April. Bishop Mason was Acting Bishop of Liverpool from the resignation of the previous diocesan, the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, until Dr Perumbalath began in post.
In her letter on Thursday, Bishop Mason writes: “I don’t hold to the media serving as prosecutor, jury and judge. For these reasons, I actually have with intention distanced myself from the recent media activity.
“However, I regret we as a church haven’t properly and satisfactorily addressed concerns which were raised. My prayer is that now things have been brought into the sunshine, there shall be no more defendedness but an honest scrutiny of what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, where the gaps sit and the way we address them.”
She tells clergy within the diocese: “I would really like you to listen to from me that you might have remained in my constant prayers and in my care and concern throughout. It has been like searching through an opaque window observing but unable to achieve you.
“I regret right now I’m unable to advise you of what the long run holds for me. This will grow to be clearer in the times ahead. What I do know is God’s shall be done,” Bishop Mason writes.
She ends the letter saying: “Pray for Bishop John. Pray for one another and people with particular leadership responsibilities and please proceed to hope for me.”
