Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 26th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 25, 2023
Today the Church in Herefordshire celebrates the feast of St Eadfrith of Leominster, a missionary Benedictine monk from Northumbria, who in the year 660 founded a small monastic community at Leominster, near the River Lugg, where he died in 675. This monastery was destroyed by the Danes and later rebuilt as an abbey for nuns, which became famous in the Anglo-Saxon period, although it was supressed just before the Conquest. In the 12th century, Henry I incorporated the lands at Leominster into the foundation of Reading Abbey and the minster was rebuilt, becoming a priory dependant on Reading until is dissolution at the Reformation. St Eadfrith, however, is considered to be the founder of Leominster and today we ask this Benedictine saint for his intercession for the people of the whole of Herefordshire.
Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 12: 49-53), today is very short and carries on from yesterday’s reading. Jesus is speaking with his disciples, “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!
‘’Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
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​What is this fire that Jesus talks about other than the flame of conversion and forgiveness which ultimately leads to the flame of the Holy Spirit, the flame of God’s love? And what is this division among men that he has come to bring rather than peace? God’s peace is not a human peace, which is simply the absence of chaos and disagreement, the absence of hatred and war. God’s peace is not an absence but a presence, his presence, for where God is, there is peace, there is love. The division he talks about is that caused by the decision we all must make: are we for Christ of against him? There can be no halfway house, no taking of two roads. When you come to a fork in the road of life, you can only go one way, not both. Lord, may we always choose your way, may we always choose you. Amen.
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
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.
