Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 19th May
Abbot Paul • May 18, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 19th May 2022
In England today we keep the feast of St Dunstan, the Benedictine monk, whose life spanned the tenth century, (909 to 988), and who died on 19th May. He was successively Abbot of Glastonbury, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury. He restored monastic life and reformed the English Church. For a long time, the most popular English saint, he was canonised just forty years after his death. At Belmont and in all Benedictine monasteries we also keep two of his contemporaries, St Oswald and St Ethelwold, also monks of the Order, Now, this is St Oswald of York or of Worcester, not the seventh century Northumbrian saint. Born in 925, he was nephew of Archbishop Odo of Canterbury and sent by him to become a monk at Fleury, a centre of reformed Benedictine monasticism in France. In 961, he was consecrated Bishop of Worcester by St Dunstan and collaborated with him in the restoring of Benedictine monastic life to England as well as in the reform of the English Church. In 972 he was appointed Archbishop of York. He died in 992. St Ethelwold of Winchester, (904-984), was one of the leaders of the tenth century monastic reform movement. A close friend and companion of the king Athelstan, he was ordained a priest before entering the monastery of Glastonbury. The king then appointed him Abbot of Abingdon and ordered him to restore the monastery there that had fallen into ruins. He was renowned for his kindness and holiness, but was also a goldsmith of exceptional talent. When I read about these medieval monastic saints, how I long to place myself under their direction and teaching. If only we had men and women of their outstanding calibre and sanctity in the Church today, a Church, I feel, in desperate need of reform and, of course, that goes for monastic life too.
Today’s Gospel reading from John is particularly short, just three verses, (Jn 15: 9-11). “Jesus said to his disciples:
‘As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments
you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
I have told you this
so that my own joy may be in you
and your joy be complete.’”
There’s a deceptively simple beauty and depth to this passage. We are to remain in that love which Christ has received from the Father and has shared with us. This is perfect, divine love, the love of loves, and we remain in his love by keeping his commandments, above all that we should love one another as he has loved us, an unconditional love that knows no limits. We pray that we might always abide in Christ’s love, that his joy be complete and our joy be assured for all eternity. Think of the joy of the saints: that is the joy that will be ours, a joy we often experience even now, in this world.
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.
