Message of Abbot Paul - Friday - 19th January 2024
Abbot Paul • January 18, 2024
Today in England we celebrate the feast of the great Bishop of Worcester, St Wulstan, deeply loved in his lifetime and ever since. How tragic it is that his shrine in Worcester Cathedral was destroyed at the Reformation, like so many others in England and Wales. He was born in Warwickshire in 1008 and died in Worcester, after serving as bishop since 1062, in 1095. His life spanned the eleventh century and he was the only English-born bishop to retain his see at the Norman Conquest, after which a programme of ethnic cleansing of all church and state leaders took place. A social reformer, Wulstan struggled to bridge the gap between the old and new regimes, and to alleviate the suffering of the poor. He was, of course, a Benedictine. He studied in the monasteries at Evesham and Peterborough before entering the monastery at Worcester Cathedral shortly after his ordination. We ask his prayers for the Church in England today, that we may have some share in his religious fervour and devotion, showing in practical ways that we are followers of Jesus.
​Today is the second day in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The more Christians allow themselves to be transformed by the Word, the closer they get to Christ and the closer they get to each other. Although it is my deepest desire to see the Churches of Christ come together in organic unity, I am also realistic enough to realise that it won’t happen in my lifetime nor in the lifetime of our children and grandchildren. Nevertheless, it’s true to say that we are closer today than ever we have been in the past and that this is the fruit of the ecumenical movement and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Jesus prayed for the unity of his Church, that all his disciples might be one as he and the Father are one. Let us make the prayer of Jesus our prayer too each day of our lives.
​Our Gospel passage today comes from Mark, (Mk 3: 13-19), and tells us of the appointment of the Twelve Apostles. This happened in some lonely place, where Jesus was alone with his disciples. “Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils.” It is from a larger group of disciples that Jesus chooses and appoints the Twelve and Mark tells us that they are to be his companions, those with whom he will share his bread, the symbol of life itself. Jesus will share his gift for preaching with his apostles and the power to work miracles, symbolised in the casting out of devils. It is with the Twelve that the Church comes into being. We are then given their names, the names of the Twelve Apostles: “And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.” We are told that to Simon he gave the name Peter (Cephas or Rock). To James and John, he also gives what we would call a nickname, but imagine being called Boanerges or Sons of Thunder. Whereas from now on Simon will be called Simon Peter or simply Peter by the others and by the evangelists and St Paul, we hear no more of that new name for James and John. As there is a second James, we are told the name of his father, Alphaeus, and of Judas Iscariot, the fact that he will betray Jesus. Hardly a group of readymade saints, this mixed crowd have already become that core group, those twelve pillars on which the Church of Christ will be built.
​Lord, we thank you for building your Church on the firm foundation of the Apostles’ faith. Give us that same faith and fidelity today, that we might share our faith with others and so bring all people to salvation.
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.
