Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 13th May
Abbot Paul • May 12, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 13th May 2022
Yesterday’s message was written before the May Procession began. In the event, it was absolutely wonderful and we were all surprised to see so many pilgrims. It was great meeting old friends and encouraging to see so many new faces. I loved the way the new procession route snaked around the monastery garden, creating a maze of prayer and praise. It was such a happy, positive occasion, especially welcome at this present moment when there’s so much bad news around. We pray for peace, that Our Lady of Peace will instil a desire for peace in the hearts of men and women all over the world and we pray earnestly for peace in Ukraine. Today, 13th May, we keep the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. We ask her intercession.
Our Gospel reading again comes from John, (Jn 14: 1-6), and is one of my favourite passages in the whole of Scripture. Here it is.
“Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God still, and trust in me.
There are many rooms in my Father’s house;
if there were not, I should have told you.
I am going now to prepare a place for you,
and after I have gone and prepared you a place,
I shall return to take you with me;
so that where I am
you may be too.
You know the way to the place where I am going.’
Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:
‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
At Belmont, we also sing this as a canticle at Vespers on Wednesdays and it’s a reading we often hear at funerals. Jesus instils peace and calm in our hearts before the presence and nearness of death, which will most surely come to us all at the appointed time. There is no need for fear, as God it with us, Jesus is there in death to hold our hand as we pass over to the next and greater life. Jesus wants us to be with him for ever and in him we will be with each other in peace and joy for all eternity. These are not empty words to alley our fears, but what Jesus has promised us and we truly believe. By following Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our Life, eternity does not begin after death but right now, for we have but one life that will blossom without fading from the bud that’s just beginning to open in this world. It’s a good day to thank God for the gift of life and the gift of death. St Francis of Assisi calls death our Mother; what a lovely thought that it, and we are her children.
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.
