THE Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Revd Bev Mason, has identified herself as 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 in the diocese of Liverpool, Bishop Mason, the suffragan in the diocese, writes that, in March 2023, she was advised of a complaint against Dr Perumbalath. The complaint and subsequent investigation “raised what I believe were significant concerns”, she writes, and this “included my 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 other allegation — on which more detail was published — as one of “sexual assault”.
In Thursday’s letter, Bishop Mason did not 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 have remained consistent and persistent in my pursuit of proper and appropriate ecclesiastical judicial process. A bishop cannot be above the law.”
Last April, it was announced at Liverpool Cathedral’s chrism eucharist, to which all clergy in 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 following 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 do not hold to the media serving as prosecutor, jury and judge. For these reasons, I have with intention distanced myself from the recent media activity.
“However, I regret we as a church have not properly and satisfactorily addressed concerns that have been raised. My prayer is that now things have been brought into the light, there will be no more defendedness but an honest scrutiny of what we are doing, how we are doing it, where the gaps sit and how we address them.”
She tells clergy in the diocese: “I would like you to hear from me that you have remained in my constant prayers and in my care and concern throughout. It has been like looking through an opaque window observing but unable to reach you.
“I regret at this time I am unable to advise you of what the future holds for me. This will become clearer in the days ahead. What I know is God’s will be done,” Bishop Mason writes.
She ends the letter saying: “Pray for Bishop John. Pray for each other and those with particular leadership responsibilities and please continue to pray for me.”