Message of Abbot Paul - Monday - 18th March 2024
Abbot Paul • March 17, 2024
​Sundays are a great joy to me now as I celebrate Mass for the parishes of Leominster and Bromyard. I love driving around the Herefordshire countryside, especially early on Sunday mornings, that are so special. Then there’s the reinvigorating contact and effusive prayer with enthusiastic congregations, made up of people from many nations. Even in rural Herefordshire we are truly a Catholic or universal Church. To crown all God’s gifts there’s also the added blessing of spending precious time with treasured friends and relaxing in their presence. How good God is to those who love him, to quote the Psalmist.
​Our Gospel reading is taken from John, (Jn 8: 1-11), and recounts that moving story of the woman caught in adultery, which we also find in Luke, (Lk 7: 36-50). The event takes place on the Mount of Olives. “Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.” Jesus teaches seated and in the open air, the crowds gathered around him. While he is thus engaged, some scribes and Pharisees appear, but they are not alone. “The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’” Are they really interested in what Jesus has to say? The unfortunate woman has apparently been caught in the very act. What about the man she was with, you might ask, was he not guilty too? But the Law was loaded against women and still is in many countries, as we know all too sadly. They were not really interested in what Jesus might have to say, for, even without listening, they had already judged him as being wrong. Sad to say, there are Catholics in the Church today, who are not interesting in what Pope Francis has to say. They are always the first to say that he is wrong, a heretic even. God have mercy and forgive them. The Pope certainly does.
​What does Jesus do? We read, “But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again.” We don’t know what he was writing in the sand, we are not told, but his words have become proverbial, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” At least the scribes and Pharisees are honest men, who recognise their sins, for we read, “When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there.” The eldest had the most sins and the most blame, that’s usually the case. In the end, no one is left but Jesus and the woman, just the two of them. “He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and sin no more.’” Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save and to forgive, but forgiveness always comes with sound advice, “Be sure not to sin again.”
​Lord, we are not without sin, and we readily confess our sins to you. Forgive us our sins, we pray. Above all, grant us the grace to sin no more and never to judge others. Amen.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. His funeral will be held at Belmont at 12 noon on Thursday 5th June. Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
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.
