Does Jesus know how to use a Computer? 

Belmont Webmaster • September 11, 2018

Fr Michael preached at the Silver Jubilee celebration of Fr Brendan, remembering also Fr Matthew who serves as a priest on the Parish of Our Lady's in Hereford, and Fr Martin who is at Bury Port near Swansea.

Jesus's conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well is very familiar to us; it's been part of Lenten catechesis since the early Church. We see His method of arousing her curiosity and through dialogue (not without humour) and gradually drawing out her faith, which is what He's really thirsting for. It has obvious similarities with, for instance, our Sunday gospels for the last few weeks where in John Ch. 6 Jesus, a few nuggets at a time, reveals Himself as the Bread of Life.

Now isn't this in fact the Lord's method with each of us? As we look back over the course of our lives, in our prayer, our listening to the Word, and in the hidden workings of our heart, hasn't He all along been speaking to our hearts, calling us, arousing our curiosity through successive glimpses of His loving presence in our lives, inviting us bit by bit to a deeper understanding, a deeper trust and love, and ultimately to the default setting of our lives, to will what He wills?

For most people the result of this dialogue which we may be largely unaware of, will be the grace to serve God faithfully through good family lives and virtuous occupations within the Body of Christ.

This building we're in, however, is a sign that for some people God's plans are a little bit different, though directed to the same end, that is, forming us into living stones making up God's house of prayer, His holy temple which is Christ's Body. This is the primary human vocation, an invitation to all peoples as our first reading from Isaiah says.

Today we're celebrating the anniversary of the Dedication of our Abbey church in 1860 by Bishop Brown. That day the Pontifical Mass was sung by Abbot Guéranger of Solesmes and a new dawn seemed to herald a monastic and a more general Catholic revival in our country. This very building speaks eloquently of that hope; no wonder we love it. The tide of history and of the Faith ebbs and flows and today at Belmont we see a united monastic community, attracting novices, offering God beautiful worship and listening to the Holy Spirit for ways to witness to Christ in the 21st century.

Each Belmont monk has his own fascinating story of being drawn by God to the monastic life in this community. Some receive the call very young and never deviate from their purpose. Others of us are surprised by our vocation and may have quite a battle with the Lord until at last we give in, in the face of His insistence and His love.

For some, there may come an extra call, to the ministerial priesthood. As you know, today is the happy occasion of the Silver Jubilee of ordination,of Fathers Brendan, Matthew and Martin. This call comes from God and from the Church and it is a call to service, to serve as Jesus's instrument so that God's people can hear authentic teaching, and can share the risen life of Christ through the sacraments. It's a call to be His voice. When the priest says "I" or "my", as in “I absolve” and "this is MY body", he says it in the name of Christ, in persona Christi . His hands are anointed with oil, a sign of the Holy Spirit, and they are destined to serve the Lord as if they were His hands at work in the world.

Here's a question: does Jesus know how to use a computer? Yes, of course, in a manner of speaking, He does, because when Fr Brendan is typing a sermon or a retreat conference the Lord is working through him to carry into the world the witness of His love.

The sheer magnitude of what Christ wishes to do through His priests, especially of course in the sacrifice of the Mass, can be daunting. We can be tempted to say, as Peter did, "Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man." Couldn't He have chosen someone else, someone more capable, more holy?

St Gregory the great, whose feast we celebrated yesterday spoke for us all when he lamented "infirmitatem suam,” his weakness. But, 25 years ago, Jesus fixed His loving eyes on Doms Brendan, Matthew and Martin, and consecrated them, and they have carried on being His friends and co-workers through times perhaps of doubt and discouragement and have continued to trust in the look in His eyes.

We who have benefitted these past 25 years from their generosity, their first saying "adsum", “Here I am”, to Our Lord's invitation, we today thank God for their life of service to our community and to the wider Church.

Fr Matthew and Fr Martin are celebrating their Jubilee elsewhere, but here, dear Fr Brendan, we your community, family members and friends, we celebrate with you and pray for you. With the Lord 1000 years are like a day, so 25 years isn't so long. With God's blessing, try to go for gold. Ad multos annos , my dear Father and may the Lord bring us all who worship in this place into his house and gate of heaven.

By Abbot Brendan Thomas May 17, 2025
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey John Peter Jabale was born on 16th October 1933 in Alexandria, Egypt of mainly European heritage. His father was Lebanese/French, and his mother British/Greek/French. He attended the Lycée Français in Alexandria until 1948, when he was sent to England, having expressed a desire to join the Navy. He enrolled at Belmont Abbey School and, upon leaving school, joined the Abbey, taking the religious name Mark. He was ordained to the priesthood on 13 July 1958. He was then sent to the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he obtained a Licentiate in French Literature, writing his thesis on Joseph de Maistre, the French counter-revolutionary. He later completed a Diploma in Education at St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill, where he also played rugby for the University. From 1964, he taught sport and served as a housemaster at the school. In 1969, he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School in Derbyshire, though he held that post for only half a term before being recalled to Belmont to serve as Headmaster there, a role he held—apart from a sabbatical—until 1983. From 1964 he was teaching sport and then was a housemaster in the School. In 1969 he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School, Derbyshire, but filled that post for only half a term. He was called back to Belmont to be Headmaster where he served, apart from a sabbatical, until 1983. Fr Mark was a rowing coach of considerable repute. During his sabbatical in 1979, he assisted Dan Topolski in coaching the Oxford crew for the Boat Race. His greatest coaching triumph came when he led a lightweight coxless four to a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia — the only gold medal won by Great Britain that year. The following year, he was invited to coach for the Olympics, but he declined in order to remain committed to Belmont. He was a steward of Henley Royal Regatta and was responsible for setting up and programming its first computerised systems. He was ahead of may in seeing the potential of new technology. In 1983, he was sent to Peru to purchase land and build a new monastery, which included raising funds in the UK. The new monastery was blessed, and the first Mass was celebrated there by the Archbishop of Piura, Oscar Cantuarias Pastor, in June 1986 together with Abbot Jerome, Fr Paul, Fr Luke, Fr David as well as Fr Mark. Dom Mark returned to Belmont as Prior and was elected the 10th Abbot of Belmont in 1993. He later wrote: “My first and most painful task proved to be the overseeing of the closure of the school.” Together with the bursar, John Hubert, he negotiated with the local NHS for the 4 houses to be leased to them. In 2000, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Menevia by Pope John Paul II and was ordained bishop in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Swansea, on 7 December 2000. He succeeded Bishop Daniel Mullins as the 10th Bishop of Menevia on 12 June 2001. During his episcopate, he held several important offices: Chairman of the Department for Christian Life and Worship, Trustee and Visitator of the three foreign seminaries — the Venerable English College (Rome), the Beda College (Rome), and the Royal English College (Valladolid). He was also Bishop-in-Charge of on-going formation for diocesan priests. Upon reaching the age of 75, Bishop Jabale submitted his resignation to the Holy Father on 16 October 2008 and was succeeded by Bishop Tom Burns. He then moved to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, and was inducted as Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in March 2009, a post he held until 2014. At the age of 81, he retired to Hendon in London, where he celebrated daily Mass at a local convent, assisted in various parishes, and continued to help with confirmations in the diocese. In October 2019, he moved to Archbishop’s House, Westminster, for nine months. Finally, he returned to Belmont in 2020 as a much-cherished member of the community. He described himself as “very happy.” He remained there until his death in Hereford County Hospital on 9 May 2025, aged 91. He had been a monk of Belmont for 73 years, a priest for 67 years and a bishop for 24 years. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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