Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Monday 10th April 2023
Abbot Paul • April 11, 2023
As a young lad, I often spent Holy Week and Easter with my Italian grandmother in Perugia, Italy. It was easy to do so, as school holidays in the U.K. in those days coincided with religious festivals. I was always struck by the fact that Italians called Easter Monday ‘Pasquetta” (Little Easter) or ‘Lunedì dell’Angelo’ (Monday of the Angel), celebrating the Angel of the Resurrection who proclaimed to the women that Jesus had risen from the dead. The Gospel, in fact, begins and ends with an Annunciation: that God would become Man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, had risen from the dead and was alive. The Angel told the women, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.” (Mk 16: 6)
In addition, in the Roman Gradual today’s Offertory Chant is the exquisite ‘Angelus Domini descendit de caelis.” (The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven). My hope is that we will manage to sing it at Belmont, not an easy task. What for most people is just another Bank Holiday with no religious connotation whatever, for us Christians today is the second day of the Easter Octave, when we continue celebrating with joy the fact that Jesus, who was crucified, dead and buried, rose from the dead and is alive in the hearts of all those who believe in him and accept him to be their Lord and Saviour.
The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven and said to the women, “The one you are looking for is risen, just as he said he would. Alleluia.
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.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
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.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"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.
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.
