Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 5th June 2023
Abbot Paul • June 4, 2023
It was good to celebrate Pentecost again yesterday and to do so both in Catholic and Orthodox churches in Thessaloniki. It made me realise how shortsighted it was to abolish the Octave of Pentecost, which really brought home the meaning and importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, culminating then in the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
Today we celebrate the feast of St Boniface, the 8th century English Benedictine monk, who led the Anglo-Saxon mission to German speaking lands, thus becoming the Apostle to Germany. He was martyred on this day in the year 754 at the age of 79. His body is venerated in the cathedral at Fulda.
Our Gospel passage today comes from Mark, (Mk 12: 1-12), in which Jesus tells the Parable of the Vineyard to the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees, warning them that the vineyard that is Israel will pass to other leaders if they do not come to believe that the Messiah has come in himself, that they are no more than tenants and not landowners. Jesus ends by quoting Psalm 117 (118), “It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see.” Let us pray today for the Church in Germany and throughout the world and that the Lord will raise up apostles like St Boniface to preach the Gospel with conviction and joy.
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.
