Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 19th June 2023
Abbot Paul • June 18, 2023
Today the Church remembers St Romuald, the 10th & 11th century Italian Benedictine, who founded one of the first break away monastic orders based on the Rule of St Benedict. He was born in Ravenna in the year 951 and died at Val di Castro, near Fabriano, on this day in the year 1027. He founded monasteries with an eremitical lifestyle in many places, the most important of which was at Camaldoli, not far from Arezzo in Tuscany. His reformed family of monks and nuns became known as the Camaldolese and they exist to this day, one of the loveliest expressions of the Benedictine vocation, combining both the coenobitic and the eremitical forms of life.
We continue reading Matthew and we are still in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 38-42). Speaking with his disciples, Jesus is reviewing commandments and famous sayings from the Old Testament. “You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.” For Jesus, life is all about generosity and self-giving, exemplified in the sacrifice of the cross, which takes its origin from the Incarnation, where the Son of God emptied himself taking on the condition of a suffering servant. Here he gives several practical examples of self-giving, expressing the desire that his disciples should behave in the same way as their master. Lord, make us generous and non-judgemental, giving without counting the cost, turning no one away from our door or from our heart.
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.
