Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 3rd December 2022
Abbot Paul • December 3, 2022
We’re already well into the month of December with the feast of St Francis Xavier, the great 16th century Jesuit missionary to India and the Orient. Let us not forget that, for 300 years during penal times, Herefordshire was also a Jesuit mission, which is why the parish church of Hereford is dedicated to St Francis Xavier. This is also a propitious day for the Belmont parish to hold is study morning on the Synod, which is very much to do with the Church’s mission in today’s world and looking to the future. I wish there were more enthusiasm for the Synod among Catholics in the U.K. Sometimes it looks as if we had forgotten our Lord’s command that his disciples go out everywhere preaching the Gospel and bringing those living in darkness into the light of Christ. We have also come to the end of the first week in Advent. How has it been for you? Will this be a memorable Advent for you?
​In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 9: 35 – 10: 1, 5-9), “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.” All was going well, but Jesus was aware of the large crowds and that he alone could not preach the Good News and cure the sick everywhere. As a result, he said to his disciples, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” He was only too aware that the crowds looked, “harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” The only solution was to call his disciples to himself and share his authority with them, so that they too could do what he was doing. Here we see the beginnings of ministry in the early Church, not in the way it ultimately developed in a clerical way, both in East and in West. Nevertheless, here is all begins. He says to his disciples, “As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.” If Jesus had said those words to you, what would you have done? If he asks you today, what will you do?
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.
