Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 3rd July
Abbot Paul • July 2, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 3rd July 2022
Today we welcome back to Belmont our Ukrainian guests who come for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at 3pm, followed by a social gathering in the Parish Centre. When the war began almost six months’ ago and the first refugees started fleeing their homeland as the enemy advanced and destroyed all they could see, we talked blithely of these refugees being able to return to their homes in a matter of months. Sadly, tragically, it no longer looks like that. The war drags on, ever more towns and villages are destroyed and innocent people killed. If things carry on like this, there will be very little of Ukraine left. It’s a horrific situation and one that makes me ashamed. The West has failed to protect the Ukrainian people, who only want to live in peace with their neighbours. Let’s keep praying and never losing hope that their dream might yet be possible.
Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 3-12, 17-20), in which Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples to go ahead and prepare people for his coming, for “the kingdom of God is very near you.” He sends them out saying, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.” A whole series of other instructions follow. Essentially, these disciples are to rely on Divine Providence and the generosity of those who welcome them to their homes. Their greeting is always to be one of peace and their behaviour is to reflect that greeting. They are to announce that, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” Thus, they are to prepare their hearers for the coming of Jesus who heralds in the kingdom of God. On their return, it’s clear that these disciples are encouraged by their success and become overconfident, proud even, so Jesus warns them, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.” They should not be congratulating themselves for their apparent success, rather, they should be giving thanks to God for using them as his instruments.
Now we often think of this passage of the Gospel as referring to priests or other ordained ministers and missionaries, which is fine, but not the whole story. The mission of evangelisation, of proclaiming the Gospel is not reserved to the clergy, it is the vocation that all baptised Christians share. Just think how, at the end of each Mass, we are all sent forth to proclaim the Gospel by the way we live our lives. Very often the witness and testimony of lay people is far more effective than that of the clergy. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, Christ is with us and we proclaim his death and resurrection and his love for all people simply by being who we are. Filled with the Holy Spirit and sent by Jesus, our names are written in heaven and so, even without knowing it, we are proclaiming to those around us, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”
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.
