Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 22nd September 2022
Abbot Paul • September 22, 2022
Yesterday was St Matthew’s day and so the feast day and birthday of our Br Mateo here in Peru. He was born the year following our arrival in Peru in 1981. We had a special lunch with his favourite foods (majado de yuca and ají de gallina) all washed down with fresh maracuya juice and pisco sour, a particular favourite of mine. I’m afraid you’ll have look those up, as I’ve no time to explain! Then this evening, after supper, there was the birthday cake, with a programme of songs and poems. Peruvians take birthdays very seriously, even in monasteries! These celebrations are great at bringing people together. I’ll add a few photos. The rest of the day was taken up with interviews, quite tiring, and a long class with the novices and postulants, great fun.
Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 7-9), in which Herod expresses his curiosity over the identity of Jesus. Who can he be? Luke tells us that he’s puzzled, when hearing about the wonderful things that Jesus is doing and wonders whether, in fact, this might be Elijah or one of the other prophets of old returned to life, or even John the Baptist. But then, Herod had had John beheaded, so who could Jesus be? Herod had heard so much about Jesus and was now curious to meet him. Sadly, curiosity doesn’t necessarily lead to faith and, in the case of Herod, it certainly didn’t. We pray that our curiosity about Jesus and our Christian faith will lead us to grow in our love of God and our commitment to the Gospel and to Jesus.
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.
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.
