Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 23rd September 2022
Abbot Paul • September 23, 2022
Apologies for the brevity of this message. Yesterday was an extremely busy day, which included joining the brethren in their common work, this time chopping up coconut flesh ready for making a new recipe for panettone, visiting a clinic for a scan (they take aches and pains very seriously here - oh why did I complain?) and then driving to the airport to collect Abbot Benito of Las Condes Abbey, Santiago, Chile. The traffic was a nightmare and it was after 10pm when we got back to the monastery.
Today’s Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 18-22), with Jesus alone at prayer with his disciples. He asks them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They tell him more or less what Herod had to say on Tuesday, that he is John the Baptist, Elijah or another of the prophets of old come back to life. But then he asks them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers in the name of all of them when he says, “The Christ of God.” This is a much shorter and less detailed version of the account we read in Matthew, of what took place at Caesarea Philippi. They are warned by Jesus to say nothing about this conversation. He also explains what is to come, his Passion , Death and Resurrection. Were Jesus to ask us today who we think he is, I wonder if our answers would be as clear and concise as Simon Peter’s.
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.
