Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 9th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 8, 2023
​As you know, the Ukrainian Liturgy is usually celebrated in our church on the first Sunday of every month from 3 o’clock onwards, but this month we had the celebration today, for in Ukraine, as in Russia and several other countries, 7th January was Christmas Day. It was lovely to see over 100 local Ukrainians present and a delight to hear them sing their carols in the course of the Liturgy and afterwards at the “agape” celebrated in the Parish centre. Tragic and horrific as the war in Ukraine is, sowing death and destruction for no purpose but the fulfilment of irrational human pride, nevertheless they hope and pray that soon the war will come to an end, occupied lands be restored to Ukraine and their country rebuilt with the help of the international community. I have always admired the Ukrainian people, intelligent, hard-working, peace-loving and long-suffering. Let us make it one of our chief objectives this New Year to pray for peace and justice throughout the world.
​As we enter into Ordinary Time, which will take us up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent on 22nd February, we start reading the Gospel of Mark on weekdays, whilst continuing with Matthew on Sundays. Today’s passage from Mark, (Mk 1: 14-20), sees Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee, following the arrest of John the Baptist. Jesus’ message is similar to John’s, but with greater urgency for with Jesus the kingdom of God is already present on earth. “The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.” Mark’s Gospel is very short, just 16 chapters, so it often reads like a summary. Hence, the need to pay attention to every word. Jesus himself is the Good News, so repentance leads us to Jesus and faith in him.
​The first thing Jesus does, according to Mark, is to call his first disciples. Recently we read in John’s Gospel how Jesus originally met these men where John the Baptist was baptising and how they had been disciples of John. However, like Jesus they were Galileans, which accounts for Jesus walking along by the Sea of Galilee, where he meets up with them again. He could not have been a stranger to them, for they accept his call to discipleship immediately, no questions asked. The call like the response is radical. “Follow me!” he says, qualified by the famous phrase, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark comments, “And at once they left their nets and followed him.” Next, he calls James and John, who were actually in their father’s boat mending the nets. Their reaction is the same as that of Andrew and Peter. “He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.” These were not poor men: they owned boats and had employees, at least their father did.
​What if Jesus came by today and asked you to follow him, what would your reaction be and how radical your reply?
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.
