Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 14th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 13, 2023
​It was good to drive to Bromyard yesterday morning for Mass and to take Toby with me. This wasn’t new to him, of course, as in the past he had been there many times and always accompanied me when I went church crawling nearby. As you know, I love visiting ancient churches and love praying in them and singing the chant. I always get the feeling that the stones remember and rejoice. When I eventually move to Leominster and Bromyard next year on my retirement as abbot, one of the many things I’m looking forward to doing is visiting every ancient church in the north of Herefordshire, not that I can say that I’ve visited every medieval church in the south of the county, but I’m getting pretty close. Toby always accompanies me, as he loves sniffing around old churches and churchyards as much as I do.
​Today’s brief Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 11: 27-28), is a most suitable passage to be heard on Saturday, which is usually dedicated to Our Lady. Here it is: “As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” It’s somewhat similar to the short account we read recently of a visit made by Mary and his brothers to Jesus, when he was preaching to the crowds and healing them. “Who are my mother and my sisters and brothers?” he asked, replying that those who hear the word and kept it are his mother and sisters and brothers. This time it is a woman in the crowd, who shouts out, “Blessed are the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked.” It’s not that Jesus disagrees with what she says, but he takes her thought a stage further. “Even more blest those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Who is more blessed than Mary his mother, who heard the word of God and kept it? We ask Mary’s prayers today that we, like her, may hear the word of God and keep it.
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.
