Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 19th November 2022
Abbot Paul • November 18, 2022
I always find it sad having to come out of a retreat and get back to the normal routine. A retreat is like a spiritual holiday. We have conferences and then time in silence to think and pray about what we have heard. This year the retreat has been particularly good and gave us much to think and pray about. I hope it has a beneficial effect on our lives. There was a time I used to give a lot of retreats to religious communities of both men and women. It’s not an easy thing to do and very tiring, as it also includes seeing each retreatant privately and that takes up any spare time that might be available in the timetable. In fact, at the beginning of December I have to go over to Ireland to give a retreat to a community of Benedictine nuns. When the time comes, I’ll be asking for your prayers.
​Our Gospel reading today is one we read a few Sundays’ ago. It comes from Luke, (Lk 20: 27-40), and is essentially about the resurrection of the dead, something in which the Pharisees believed, but not the Sadducees. Belief in life after death took a long time coming in Hebrew religion and even at the time of Jesus the Sadducees were a major sect that did not accept the idea, as opposed to the Pharisees who did. Most early Christian converts from Judaism were, in fact, Pharisees. The question the Sadducees put to Jesus is a bit of a red herring. It’s about a widow, who marries seven brothers, as each one dies before leaving descendants. They ask which of the brothers will she be married to at the resurrection. Jesus’ reply takes them by surprise, as they can only think of this world and that heaven must be a continuation of this earthly life. Jesus says, No, it is not like that! “The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection, they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.” Eternal life is not simply a continuation, albeit a better one, of this life, but life on a different plane. As we will be focussed on God, we will see and love others in and through God. It will be perfect love, heavenly love, God’s love, for God will be all in all.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. His funeral will be held at Belmont at 12 noon on Thursday 5th June. Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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.
