The Monastery Guesthouse: The Year in Review 2

Dom Brendan Thomas • December 31, 2020

New Guests for Hedley Lodge

We were all thrown into confusion with the arrival and spread of the coronavirus at the beginning of the year. In March, almost as soon as the crisis started, we were approached by Herefordshire Council to ask if we would take the homeless in to Hedley Lodge. 

It immediately seemed the right thing we should do. Our guesthouse is usually put to a different use for those coming on retreat or as a convenient place to stay in the locality. We have quite a mix of people through our doors at the best of times. But while St Benedict calls us to welcome all as Christ, he says “great care and concern are to be shown in receiving poor people and pilgrims, because in them more particularly Christ is received; our very awe of the rich guarantees them special respect.” It seemed absolutely the right thing to do to help at a moment of crisis even if we were not sure how it would work out.

From the beginning it was clear that we would not be required to provide food, but all our rooms were made available as accommodation. Sadly, we have had to reduce our regular staff, having supported them during the summer, but we have had two full time staff, Dawn and Maxine looking after our new guests, with occasional help from others. The whole project has worked very well. The increased stability it has given some has helped them get back into work.

Many of them were away with family over Christmas, but those who remained had a beautiful Christmas lunch prepared by our cook, Sue. 


It seems probable that the current arrangement will continue until March, and then we will look at refurbishing the guesthouse ready to receive our regular guests whom we know are waiting to return. The Council are looking into a long-term solution to housing the homeless. There is still much uncertainty so we cannot give a definite date to the reopening of Hedley or future plans.

 


Visit from our MP

In October, the Abbot welcomed Jesse Norman, MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, to Hedley Lodge, to see for himself our accommodation for the homeless and to see this Government-funded scheme in action. It has led to a big reduction in the number of rough sleepers.

 

After a tour of Hedley Lodge and conversations with some of the guests, who praised the efforts made on their behalf and the support offered by the staff, Jesse, who is Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the Government, said:

 

“I am so pleased to see for myself the benefits this Government programme has brought, both to the people it has helped directly, many now comfortably housed in Hedley Lodge, and to the wider local community, in our great national effort to limit the spread and the effect of Coronavirus. "It is particularly fitting that Belmont Abbey, in keeping with its Benedictine tradition of welcoming all guests, has made this accommodation available and I am most grateful to the Abbot, the Community and the Abbey’s staff for welcoming me to Hedley Lodge and for providing me with the opportunity to meet some of the guests and the staff, and to find out more about the delivery of the project, both from them and from the supporting teams from Herefordshire Council and the local police.”

Ut Unum Sint - A Prayer for Unity with Benedictines

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • October 28, 2025
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Two Men Went to Pray

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • October 26, 2025
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.

Dom Stephen Holdsworth RIP

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • October 26, 2025
We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.

A Grand Opening

September 21, 2025
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.

Assumption and VJ Day

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • August 15, 2025
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.

Corpus Christi

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 22, 2025
The Murmuration of the Spirit

What happened at the Conclave?

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 19, 2025
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.

1700 Years Since the Council of Nicea

June 19, 2025
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.

Safeguarding at Belmont

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 19, 2025
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency Report, published in June 2025

Pentecost

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 8, 2025
The Murmuration of the Spirit