Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday - 2nd May 2024
Abbot Paul • May 2, 2024
Today we keep the feast of St Athanasius of Alexandria, the great theologian and Doctor of the Church, who also wrote the life of St Antony of Egypt, the Father of Christian Monasticism. It was Athanasius who, while still a deacon, saved the Church from falling into generalised heresy by combatting and overcoming the Arians at the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It was also Athanasius who, on one of his several exiles in Rome, brought monks from Egypt to Rome. These were soon followed by monk refugees from Syria, whom St Benedict met as a young boy in Nursia. The Universal Church owes a great debt to St Athanasius and we should get to know him better and venerate him more.
One of the main differences between John and the three Synoptic Gospels is the number of long discourses given by Jesus, whether to his disciples, as after the feeding of the five thousand, or to the crowds in general. The only real parallel, in length at least, is the Sermon on the Mount, that we find in Matthew. The longest of the discourses in John is that of Jesus at the Last Supper, short sections of which we have been reading over the last ten days or so. Today we continue where we left off yesterday with the metaphor of the true vine. You will have noticed that in John the same words, phrases and ideas recur frequently. Jesus had been talking of the union that must exist between his disciples and himself and how this should reflect that union which exists between himself and the Father. As the branches are connected to the vine, so should we remain and make our home in him.
Jesus now moves on to the theme of love. If God is love, as we read in John’s First Letter, (1 Jn 4: 7), then any relationship or union with him must be a loving one. “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
In the discourse Jesus says to his disciples (Jn 15: 9-11),
“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.”
What powerful words these are. That the love with which the Father loves the Son should be reflected in the love with which the Son loves us is an amazing thought. God raises us to his level. Jesus calls his disciples friends and, in the Old Testament, Abraham was known as the friend of God. Friendship and love make people equals and, in Christ, God raises us up to be his beloved daughters and sons. He invites us to remain in his love, asking us to keep his commandments, which we long to keep because we know that we are loved and our only wish is to love God in return. What greater joy could there be than to remain in God’s love, to live knowing that we are loved by God. In that way, as Jesus says, not only his joy, but our joy too, will be complete. What more could we ask?
July and August 2026: 3 workshops let by Fr Alex Echeandia, Prior of the Monastery of Lurin
9th to 11th January 2026 A weekend for young men to experience the monastic life and join in the prayer and life of the community.
28th November at 6.45pm You are welcome to join an informal service for healing prayer on the last Friday of November. No need to book.
Sat 13th December, 10.00am-12.30am We are delighted that the acclaimed Cistercian writer, Fr Michael Casey will be with us in December.
Monday 1st to Thursday 4th December 2025. Our first Advent retreat in our newly opened guesthouse
Good Shepherd, Good Priest “I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed; I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Those words, spoken by the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel, describe the heart of God, the Good Shepherd — but they also describe the life and ministry of a good monk and priest. They could well be written of Fr Stephen’s years of service as a pastor in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford, and Weobley. In each of those places, he shared in the Shepherd’s work: seeking out the lost, binding up the wounded, strengthening the weary, and leading God’s people with quiet faithfulness. And like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came close to his people, Fr Stephen did not serve from a distance. He knew his people; he was among them. He shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their disappointments. He bore their burdens with prayer and patience he brought the joy of the Gospel and the grace of the Sacraments. His mission amongst us is complete. He has served God’s good purpose. So today we ask Christ the Good Shepherd to take Stephen on his sacred shoulders and carry him home to the house of the Father. Bind up his wounds, give him eternal rest and lead him at last to the green pastures and still waters of eternal life.
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.