Pope Francis on July 9, 2018, appointed Bishop Paul Mason as the next Bishop of the British Armed Forces.
On his new appointment, Bishop Paul commented:
«Although sad to be leaving my adoptive diocese, the new role the Holy Father has asked me to take on as Bishop of the Forces is one I accept with much enthusiasm. Supporting the men and women of the British Armed Forces, and their families is a very important apostolate in the life of the Church and one which I will be doing my best to pass muster’.»
Bishop Mason will take up the official duties of the Bishop of the Forces in the autumn of 2018 following his installation in the Cathedral Church of the Bishopric, St Michael & St George’s Cathedral, Aldershot and all at Southwark Diocese wish him well for this new chapter in his ministry.
Bishop Mason was born in North Shields, Tyne & Wear on November 6, 1962, one of three children. He attended and was baptized and confirmed in, the Parish of Our Lady & St. Edmunds, Backworth, Tyne & Wear. He attended St. Anselm’s Roman Catholic High School,
North Shields, and then Kings College, London. He then worked in Turin for Olivetti, and later moved to London to work for Hewlett-Packard until September 1992.
He was in formation for the priesthoo at the Venerable English College, Rome, was ordained deacon at Palazzola, by Bishop (later Cardinal) Cormac Muphy-O’Connor in 1997, and was ordained to the priesthood on
July 25, 1998, in his home parish of Our Lady & St. Edmunds, Backworth, by Archbishop Michael Bowen.
His first appointment, in 1998, was as assistant priest was to the parish of Saint John the Baptist, Purley. In 2001 he became a full time Hospital Chaplain to St. Thomas’ & Guys Hospital Trust. He remained in the role until 2012 when he became Pastoral Director, Allen Hall Seminary, at the same time taking on the role of Director of Southwark Ongoing Formation. In 2014 he left Allen Hall, to take up the new post of Episcopal Vicar in Kent, following the move of Bishop John Hine to Tenterden Parish.
