Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 16th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 15, 2023
When I was a boy, Autumn was the season of Michaelmas daisies. You could see them in every garden and in flower arrangements in all churches, cemeteries and homes. There was something comforting about them as the nights drew in, the days got colder and we looked forward to Christmas and the end of the long, long Michaelmas Term at school. It struck me yesterday that this is no longer the case. It was seeing two small and rather sad looking clumps of these lovely flowers yesterday morning in a Leominster garden that brought this home to me. So it is that I pray for the revival of the fortunes of the Michaelmas daisy in Britain.
​We return to Luke’s Gospel today, (Lk 11: 29-32), with the crowds gathering around Jesus that are getting bigger by the day. The more they listen to him, the more fascinated they become. They probably weren’t expecting what he had to say next. “This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement Day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached, they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.” It’s a call to repentance. He calls his hearers a “wicked Generation, always asking for a sign.” Why should they listen to him? What proof does he possess to show that his teaching has any authority at all? He points to the prophet Jonah and to the Queen of Sheba as two valid signs. Jonah called to people of Nineveh to repentance and they repented. The Queen of Sheba came to witness for herself the riches and wisdom of Solomon, and she found all she was looking for. Jesus says that he is greater than both Jonah and the Queen of the South, but the people he has come to save neither repent nor learn from his wisdom. The signs are there, his call to repentance is powerful and valid; his wisdom comes from God and has the power to save, but they reject him. They are curious, fascinated even, but pay no attention. Today his words and his teaching are directed at us. Will we repent? Will we profit from his wisdom and the riches of his grace? Only we know the answer.
​I ask you to remember in prayer today one of Belmont’s most illustrious monks, Bishop Mark Jabalé, who celebrates his 90th birthday. For many years head master of our school, and international rowing coach, he spent a number of years in Peru and built our very first monastery there. On the retirement of Abbot Alan Rees, he was elected abbot and then towards the end of 2000 appointed a bishop by Pope St John Paul II. After serving as Bishop of Menevia for seven years, he worked as Parish Priest of Chipping Norton and then as a retired bishop in London. For the past few years, he has accompanied us at Belmont, invigorating the community with his knowledge, prayerfulness and good humour. No photographs today, but tomorrow. Please remember, too, Dom Michael Evans, Prior of Belmont and formerly Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier, who celebrates his 77th. Ad multos annos.
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.
