Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 18th August
Abbot Paul • August 17, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 18th August 2022
Yesterday morning Toby and I woke around 4am to the sound of heavy rain. I sleep with my window wide open, so it was a particularly refreshing sound and smell, of course, and there was even the suspicion of a gentle breeze. I thought Toby might not want to go for his usual walk because of the rain, but he loved it and wouldn’t miss a moment of it as he went along drinking from the many pools of rainwater and relishing the coolness of the raindrops. Although I needed an umbrella to keep dry, I must confess it was heavenly after the intense heat and lack of rain over the past months. When we were out around 6am, there were enormous pools of water everywhere. Three hours later, when we went out for our second walk, not a single pool was left. Every drop of water had been absorbed and the grass on the playing field was dry underfoot.
We are coming to the end of Matthew, (Mt 22: 1-14), and so we find ourselves reading those parables of the kingdom that are apocalyptic in style and content. They reflect a certain disappointment among the earlier followers of Jesus that there was such rejection of his person and message among those of his race and religion to whom he first came and preached. It was clear to the early Christians that their main mission should be to the Gentiles, and it was Jesus himself who led the way, especially in these parables of the kingdom. Today we appear to have two parables that have been joined together, that of the king’s wedding banquet for his son and that of a wedding guest who tries to enter the feast without a proper wedding garment, odd in view of the fact that those invited would not come to the feast, so in the end anyone who was free was invited, almost coerced to come into the feast, so that the hall would be full. The first parable is a potted history of Israel up to the coming of Jesus, a history that was often of rejection of God and his prophets, and now the rejection of his Son made man. “Come to the wedding,” is the invitation. For a multiplicity of reasons or on account of total indifference, a clear NO is the answer. In his just anger, God sends out his messengers, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” These are the faithful few, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, and the Gentiles, now called to salvation in Christ.
Here we find the second parable attached to the first. The wedding hall is full, but the king notices a guest improperly dressed. “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” Here the lesson is that no one can enter the kingdom unprepared, that lack of preparation symbolised by the lack of a wedding garment. There is the question of faith and baptism, of living the Gospel and keeping the commandments, which is why the Lord warns us that, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Let us pray and work hard to make sure that we are among the chosen.
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.
