Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Friday - 5th April 2024
Abbot Paul • April 4, 2024
​You might have heard that my dearest and most faithful companion and gift of God Toby passed away suddenly this week. He had been particularly lively and happy over Holy Week and Easter, enjoying his visits to Leominster and Bromyard, in fact, until Wednesday afternoon, when he had difficulty walking and collapsed onto the carpet. The vet and her nursing assistant came at once and were absolutely wonderful in caring for him, doing all they could to make him comfortable and at peace and also looking after me. Over the past eleven and a half years he has been the most loving companion, intelligent, humorous and playful. What he most enjoyed was just to see me sitting in an armchair doing my lectio or mental prayer. He always made sure I was faithful to my monastic life, as well as instigating and encouraging exercise and fresh air. No matter what the weather, we never missed a walk or a visit to the kitchen, his favourite spot, to see the chefs. His ashes will be buried next to Bertie and Badger, my two earlier canine friends, and not too far from where I too will be buried one of these days, hopefully many years ahead.
​Our Gospel passage today comes from John, (Jn 21: 1-14), and recounts in some detail the third meeting between the risen Christ and his disciples in this Gospel. In fact, the passage ends with the words, “This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.” Seven of the disciples are back in Galilee, on the shores of Lake Tiberius, when Simon Peter suggests that they go fishing. Although we know that Jesus sent a message to his disciples to return to Galilee, that he would see them there, it seems strange to see them back on the lake working as fishermen again. Still, they were following Jesus’ instructions. The others reply that they will go too, “They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.” Having no success, the night’s fishing sees them return without a catch. “It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.” Typical in John, when Jesus is not present, it is night, but when he appears, it is day. Even so, they fail to recognise him. “Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in.” He calls them friends, as he had done at the Last Supper, yet they fail to recognise him. Then, one of them twigs. “The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.” It’s the beloved disciple, who accompanied Peter to the tomb, he who “saw and believed,” and at the Last Supper asked Jesus who was it that would betray him, who now recognises Jesus and says to Simon, “It is the Lord.”
​“As soon as they came ashore, they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.” Jesus is preparing breakfast for his disciples. They see bread and fish, already being cooked over a charcoal fire. Jesus suggests that they share some of their catch with him. So it is, they break their fast with Jesus on the shore of the lake. The words used by Jesus reflect those spoken at the Last Supper and the Eucharist. Although they are not bold enough at this stage to ask Jesus anything, they know deep down that this is indeed the Lord.
​Lord, you are with us in our daily work, you are with us in our every need, you are with us whenever we call upon you, you are with us wherever we are. Like the disciples, we usually don’t recognise your presence within and among us, but you are there, you are here. Lord, you come as a stranger, but you remain as a friend. May your Name be blessed for ever. Amen.
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.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
Archbishop Mark O'Toole, of Cardiff-Menevia presided at the Requiem Mass for Bishop Mark, while Abbot Brendan conducted his burial. Cardinal Vincent Nichols preached a homily full of warmth and affection for Bishop Mark which is reproduced below.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.
