Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 26th May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 25, 2023
Between Wednesday and Thursday, I spent six hours doing an advanced safeguarding course by zoom organised by the RLSS (Religious Life Safeguarding Service). It was an excellently organised course with only nine participants, eight nuns and myself. As always happens, I learnt a great deal and much was clarified. I came away not only with a certificate, but also enthused and empowered to put into practise both in the community and in the parishes we care for, what was suggested and encouraged, to improve our understanding and practise of safeguarding young people and adults at risk. These courses might be tiring, but they are also rewarding in so many ways.
​Today the Church keeps the feast of Sr Philip Neri, priest of Rome and founder of the Oratorians, (1515-1595), known as the Second Apostle of Rome, after St Peter. A pastor with a father’s heart and love for the poor, he worked assiduously with a joyful heart to rekindle the Christian faith among those who had lapsed or had no opportunity to learn about the faith into which they had been baptised.
​Our Gospel passage for today comes from the last chapter of John, (Jn 21: 15-19), the conversation Jesus had with Peter after his appearance to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee, where they were fishing again just as they had been at the beginning. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” to which each time he replies, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus commands him, “Feed my sheep.” The third time Peter appears to get angry and upset, for he replies, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” We might ask why Jesus asked him three times. Was it to put right the three times Peter denied him on the night of his arrest? Jesus goes on to warn Peter that he too will suffer and die in the same way.
​​“When you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.”
In these words, he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, “Follow me.”
Like Jesus, Peter will give glory to God by his own passion and death. It’s interesting to see how the Gospel ends as it began, with the invitation to Peter and the disciples to, “Follow me.” At the very beginning, they could not understand the meaning of those words. After all they have been through with Jesus, now they can.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
