Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 30th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 30, 2023
Dear friends in Christ, I apologise that it hasn’t been possible to prepare a message for today. Yesterday was a particularly busy Sunday and, in the end, I ran out of time. Nevertheless, I assure you of my prayers for you and your loved ones.
Please could I ask a prayer for Fr Alex, the Prior of our Peruvian monastery, who is having major surgery today or tomorrow. For many years Fr Alex has suffered from Achalasia, a rare disorder of the oesophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. It is characterized by impaired ability to push food down toward the stomach (peristalsis), failure of the ring-shaped muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus, the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES), to relax. It is the contraction and relaxation of the sphincter that moves food through the tube. The symptoms of achalasia typically appear gradually. Most people with this disorder experience an impairment in the ability to swallow (dysphagia) as a major and early symptom. There may also be mild chest pain that comes and goes. Some affected individuals experience pain that is very intense. Retention of saliva and ingested food in the oesophagus may often cause regurgitation of these contents; in addition, such contents may also be propelled into the lungs during breathing (tracheobronchial aspiration). Other symptoms of this disorder may include a cough during the night and significant weight loss, because of difficulty in swallowing, in cases that remain untreated. Dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) and dry mouth (xerostomia) are not unusual in patients with achalasia. The aspiration of saliva and food contents by people with achalasia may cause pneumonia, other pulmonary infections, or even death. The incidence of oesophageal cancer is significantly increased in patients with achalasia.
I know I can rely on you to remember Fr Alex in your prayers. We pray that surgery will be successful and that he will soon recover from the operation. I also ask you to pray for a benefactor in Lima who has made it possible for Fr Alex to have the operation in a private hospital. I am hoping to visit our brethren in Peru from 1st to 16th March. God bless you.
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.
