Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 28th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 27, 2023
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Apostles St Simon and St Jude. We are told in the Gospels that, after spending much time in prayer, Jesus decided to choose twelve men, twelve rather unlikely candidates, who would be his apostles and proclaim the Kingdom of God to all people and prepare them for the coming of Jesus. Simon the Zealot was one of the called. The Zealots were a Jewish group who believed that the promise of the Messiah meant a free and independent Jewish nation where they would never have to pay taxes to the Romans again. Some Zealots were also very concerned that the spiritual ideals of their religion be kept, although others in the group were known to resort to violence. Simon was called “the zealot” to distinguish him from Simon Peter. At the same time, Jesus called Jude Thaddeus, brother of James, most likely a fisherman by trade. Along with ten other men, the two of them followed Jesus, lived with him, fled when he underwent his Passion and rejoiced when he rose from the dead. At Pentecost they were filled with the Spirit and a burning desire to proclaim the Good News to all nations. According to tradition, Jude travelled to Mesopotamia to preach whereas Simon went to Egypt. Eventually they both ended up in Persia, modern-day Iran. There they worked together evangelizing the people until they were both martyred. These two unlikely candidates for apostleship finally witnessed to the risen Christ with their lives. St Jude is identified with the author of the Letter of Jude in the New Testament. He is also known and invoked as the saint of hopeless cases.
Today’s Gospel passage from Luke (Lk 6: 12-16) recounts the calling of the twelve Apostles, but before this happens, Jesus spends the night in prayer. “Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.” It is above all in his life of prayer, of intimate communion with the Father, that Jesus reveals his Divine Sonship. Frequently we read that he would leave the crowds and even his disciples behind and go off alone to some isolated spot to be alone in prayer with his heavenly Father. In this he invites us to follow his example. Not only should we deepen our relationship with God, but we should always seek his guidance before making important decisions that affect others as well as ourselves. “When day came, he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’.” We are not given the criteria for picking these particular twelve disciples, nor are we told of their reaction or of the reaction of the other disciples. Just as the Patriarchs, Prophets and Kings were chosen of old, so now Jesus choses his Twelve Apostles and among them we find the names of Simon and Jude. “Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.” It’s only when there are two of the same name that we’re given some distinguishing detail about them. So we are told that Simon is called the Zealot and that Judas is the son of James. It’s good to know that the apostles were mostly ordinary folk like you and me.
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.
